tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17303515587279808142024-03-18T19:42:12.048-07:00Forgotten FiguresProfiles and photos of G.I. Joe figures from around the world!Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.comBlogger1571125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-43536094148392822472024-03-15T22:54:00.009-07:002024-03-16T13:09:15.470-07:002002 Mirage - Random Photos of the Day<p>Hasbro got Mirage happy between 2002 and 2005. In that short time, they released no less than 4 repaints of the obscure 1993 Mega Marine. The thing is, all of them were pretty decent. While the repaint still didn't fully accentuate Mirage's details, they did bring a more muted paint scheme to the mold. Unfortunately, collectors quickly tired of Mirage. Not only was it because of the multiple uses in such a short time span, but also, Hasbro made the mistake of packaging the first two repaints with Viper repaints. As this was the height of the army building era, collectors quickly amassed dozens of Mirage figures.</p><p>And, with that, a once acceptable character from the '90's quickly became a collector nightmare. And, the repaint era releases were quickly disregarded and tossed into boxes or custom fodder bags in frustration. More than 20 years later, the figure still doesn't really have any cachet. You don't see any of the modern versions used very often since old habits die hard and few collectors who were around in the Mirage heyday still consider him a useful figure to have around.</p><p>This is too bad, though, as the all the Mirage figures are a nice and cool way to update the Mega Marines. Personally, I think the 2003 Hoverstrike figure is the best version of Mirage. But, this 2002 version that was first released in Wave 1.5 in the early summer of 2002 is also really nice. So, enjoy some random photos as you stroll down memory lane to a time when Hasbro was really pumping out the figures at retail.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZ97WavK7U3FJ8vfUy1LLgHXYOwpXp07jx3y1NhynTliRBD5pPrpirx9dFMhplmy11vc-mQejO0H0NZ13tbbajeAjbmh4BwIhH9NiQYutPpNbAtI40hrSVzDCKLVgjdLyYU4EfJ_GSMQY9uWq5LJlT8q2nOSkSXm-TrITw05HG6VmVkW78uFBj1lGvYac/s1148/02mirage871.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2002 Mirage, Wave 1.5, Dial Tone, BJ's Exclusive, Gift Set, Big Ben" border="0" data-original-height="1148" data-original-width="1102" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZ97WavK7U3FJ8vfUy1LLgHXYOwpXp07jx3y1NhynTliRBD5pPrpirx9dFMhplmy11vc-mQejO0H0NZ13tbbajeAjbmh4BwIhH9NiQYutPpNbAtI40hrSVzDCKLVgjdLyYU4EfJ_GSMQY9uWq5LJlT8q2nOSkSXm-TrITw05HG6VmVkW78uFBj1lGvYac/w614-h640/02mirage871.jpg" title="2002 Mirage, Wave 1.5, Dial Tone, BJ's Exclusive, Gift Set, Big Ben" width="614" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIZy0FiEjzkWYKzOHZ6mQ-UJLbLw8HEul3qUi2Z-fLiA2soEv_EV0ts4sS3FXvmYg8s8TBvAJZQaCDVvZ56-icV1nxBXSvA1WXKeGfIphae9yc7kG7aLOuMxKgtYVAyyQ8BxKExOAtEd8ce5OXSg_Q2usTPFM7rZP3eDcybvXNfDoWgvQcrYwgzCIQg/s1439/02mirage45.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2002 Mirage, Mega Marines, Wave 1.5, 1991 Ozone, Eco Warriors" border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1439" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIZy0FiEjzkWYKzOHZ6mQ-UJLbLw8HEul3qUi2Z-fLiA2soEv_EV0ts4sS3FXvmYg8s8TBvAJZQaCDVvZ56-icV1nxBXSvA1WXKeGfIphae9yc7kG7aLOuMxKgtYVAyyQ8BxKExOAtEd8ce5OXSg_Q2usTPFM7rZP3eDcybvXNfDoWgvQcrYwgzCIQg/w640-h450/02mirage45.JPG" title="2002 Mirage, Mega Marines, Wave 1.5, 1991 Ozone, Eco Warriors" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0pW_-eYonxEDBE0j5mvO3BerCcB2p_FiBiCRcq8K54HqQp3K4KgH_79hzAgzdshr0mhEA4HoW_kI6UwQPKDoh2qKVnP7t9Ae0wM9OnACQuuZLZ3SmEiuHKxOK-ojmD2XiJK5_h3UtXAGM82VAaeZ58xoBhZEqYoN9s-XvhDLMkrItvjcPzPi8Az0xg/s920/02mirage221.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2002 Mirage, Mega Marines, Wave 1.5" border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="625" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0pW_-eYonxEDBE0j5mvO3BerCcB2p_FiBiCRcq8K54HqQp3K4KgH_79hzAgzdshr0mhEA4HoW_kI6UwQPKDoh2qKVnP7t9Ae0wM9OnACQuuZLZ3SmEiuHKxOK-ojmD2XiJK5_h3UtXAGM82VAaeZ58xoBhZEqYoN9s-XvhDLMkrItvjcPzPi8Az0xg/w434-h640/02mirage221.JPG" title="2002 Mirage, Mega Marines, Wave 1.5" width="434" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iFnopSs89XfCe7_uOybqeCTnQqzBR6uTL1ye8W9z48xcGPUOwMF7-bM-3Hur7O92kfMnjYVob_j9ZdwScdCecrzFZV5bVPQRplD5KsnJLh-C-ZKshjIb3-yCEBIGQ6cUEuL3kuqLKK3EIi4Cnh_dL4G6jOHnpvHJ-bmChVD1JuCoQvZhWg_RAcHwEA/s1411/02mirage895.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2002 Mirage, Mega Marines, Wave 1.5" border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1058" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iFnopSs89XfCe7_uOybqeCTnQqzBR6uTL1ye8W9z48xcGPUOwMF7-bM-3Hur7O92kfMnjYVob_j9ZdwScdCecrzFZV5bVPQRplD5KsnJLh-C-ZKshjIb3-yCEBIGQ6cUEuL3kuqLKK3EIi4Cnh_dL4G6jOHnpvHJ-bmChVD1JuCoQvZhWg_RAcHwEA/w480-h640/02mirage895.JPG" title="2002 Mirage, Mega Marines, Wave 1.5" width="480" /></a></div><br />Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-18748864033475172832024-03-11T23:23:00.006-07:002024-03-11T23:23:00.124-07:001987 Taurus<div>When I first saw the 1987 catalog, it was full of toys I wanted. Two oddball items stuck out to me, though. The first, obviously, was Cobra La. I wasn't sure what the hell that was supposed to be. So, the companion three figure set also seemed weird. At some point in the summer of 1987, I found the two three packs at the local Toys R Us. There was no way I was buying the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Cobra%20La" target="_blank">Cobra La</a> set. So, I bought the Slaughter's Renegades set while my younger brother purchased the Cobra La figures. Once opened, I still didn't really understand the Renegades. Taurus and Red Dog seemed out of place in the line. Mercer, though, quickly found heavy use. Though, I didn't really follow his ex-<a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Viper" target="_blank">Viper</a> background.</div><div><br /></div><div>As the year progressed, the Renegades didn't appear in the comic. This was rare for the age as even <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Crystal%20Ball" target="_blank">Crystal Ball</a> showed up in an issue of Special Missions. When our friends from down the street tried to describe the G.I. Joe Movie to me, they made no mention of the Renegades as the bizarre fate for <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Cobra%20Commander" target="_blank">Cobra Commander</a> and the celebrity voices were the extent of the highlights. So, the Renegades, and their purpose, remained a mystery to me. So, I found uses for the two "lesser" figures in the set. Red Dog's main value came from his pistol. Taurus, though, never really found grounds for existence and was one of the very rare 1987 figures who I didn't fully characterize. </div><div><br /></div><div>Taurus's head is well sculpted. Really, it might be one of the best sculpted heads in the entire line. It is distinctive, unique and it conveys a sense of consternation and experience that is difficult to convey with a small, plastic countenance. The bushy red beard and eyebrows offsetting the bald head and large ears leave you with a lasting impression of the figure. You know what they sculptors were trying to convey and it came through very well. It is still flummoxing to me that even modern sculptors have struggled so mightily to match the sculpting of vintage Joe heads. Especially when you see how much variety there was in the line. Heck,<a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Falcon" target="_blank"> Falcon</a> and Taurus were sculpted in the same year and offer two extremes of head design. Yet, to this day, people have yet to really mimic the overall aesthetic of vintage Hasbro heads.</div><div><br /></div><div>Taurus's colors are interesting. He was just the fourth figure in the line to use yellow as a primary body color. (<a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Blowtorch" target="_blank">Blowtorch</a>, <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Airtight" target="_blank">Airtight</a> and <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Claymore" target="_blank">Claymore</a>) His legs are a pea green that are a near match for the green that would define the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Night%20Force" target="_blank">Night Force</a> subset starting in 1988. I feel this is an overlooked detail that would allow for Taurus parts to appear on more Night Force customs. The colors aren't a bad match, though. And, Taurus is visually interesting. It's just that the super short sleeves, dramatically exposed chest and red facial hair offset the yellow and somewhat ruin the overall appearance of the figure. The more I look at him, now, though, I find more value in Taurus's appearance. Really, he's one of the most visually distinctive Joes in both colors and sculpt. And, re-evaluating him more than 35 years later has left me with a very different opinion of the figure than I had as a kid back in 1987. </div><div><br /></div><div>As a kid, I didn't find much use for Taurus. Often, he'd be relegated to the role of a nameless villain who would pop out of the A-Team van and kill a bunch of civilians: causing the Joe team to hunt him down. In one of the Special Missions issues, Larry Hama created a radical named Horst. He was a brainwashed zealot who blew himself to bits: thinking it would lead to eternal glory. Instead, his comrades didn't even remember his name. I used Taurus as a stand in for a Horst like character. Though, it was far more often that the Joes (and, sometimes, Cobras) would kill him before he could suicide them all away. Taurus had no name or characterization beyond being a terrorist who could offer some divergent adventures from the standard Joe vs. Cobra scenarios.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I've grown to appreciate this figure more, though, I don't have many regrets over my childhood treatment of the toy. Really, Taurus got every chance to capture my imagination. He just failed to do so in any meaningful way. As I had a pretty much full collection of Joes, though, Taurus as going to have a tough time breaking out. He appeared near the very end of my childhood acquisitions. And, his bizarre release vehicle to which I lacked context didn't endear him to me. I was just confused as to why the entire Renegades team existed. So, that left Taurus to stand on his own without the benefit of a comic book appearance. But, one of the benefits of adult collecting is that you can reconsider figures like Taurus who didn't matter in my childhood collection. And, in Taurus's case, he's a rare occasion where I've found him more valuable as an adult collection piece than I ever did as childhood plaything.</div><div><br /></div><div>Taurus' gear, well, sucks. He has the worst weapon in the three pack. It is silver, which wasn't common for the time. But, it's not quite a pistol. And, also too small to be a rifle. It doesn't really work with any figure and just always looks awkward. He also includes a brown version of <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Recondo" target="_blank">Recondo's</a> backpack. As a kid, I matched the black <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Footloose" target="_blank">Footloose</a> pack with Taurus as I thought the brown Recondo pack better fit with Mercer's color scheme and the black pack was a better match for Taurus. The card artwork didn't offer any clues for the pack/figure matches. So, I kept the Recondo pack meant for Taurus with my Mercer figure for years. In fact, if you scroll through photos on this site from <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2008" target="_blank">2008</a> or earlier, you'll always see Mercer wearing Taurus's pack. Now, though, we have plenty of evidence that this pack was meant for Taurus and I've evolved to using Mercer's proper backpack with his figure.</div><div><br /></div><div>Taurus is the only one of the three Renegades figures who doesn't really have a foreign exclusive repaint. <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2001/12/2001-funskool-red-dog-indian-exclusive.html" target="_blank">Red Dog got a Funskool </a>repaint in 2001. And, <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2022/06/rarities-brazilian-mercer.html" target="_blank">Mercer saw release in Brazil</a> about a decade earlier. However, all three Renegades did get exclusive single carded releases in various European countries. All of these cards feature unique artwork that wasn't available in the U.S. Many years ago, a collector friend of mine mentioned that he thought there were extremely slight coloring differences between the U.S. and European releases of the Renegades: Taurus in particular. But, he never confirmed it. So, this is one of the rumored Euro exclusive releases that I'd love to someday validate.</div><div><br /></div><div>Taurus is one of the cheaper figures in the entire line. He is the least popular renegade and doesn't match with Mercer or Red Dog. The yellow shirt isn't a color people much care for. And, as such, you can still get nicely conditioned and complete Taurus figures for under $10. Dealers do sell a lot in the $15 range. And, the highly fragile gold paint will often drive that price point. All of the Renegades seem pretty common. 1987 saw a high production run to coincide with the G.I. Joe Movie...which then ended up as a straight to video release. So, the less popular figures from this year really tend to show up a lot and remain extremely cheap. It's a just fate for Taurus as he's really not that good of a figure. But, I do appreciate his sculpting and colors more as an adult collector than I did as a kid in the final days of childhood.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGc5I1KTu7BP0sdQ_w4on9mR4AhgyeFsbKUJQ0yMmqaN0oDNcukuU0RTVCvMRth3UsUxXjgyCwYExpRjNDqNZziHknPsn42fVhQFW4duEbc8CMsj1g5_KyD98GQYzJKEjZyKKg8jObaatKci3NUbGKY3JKtqND_imqB76c0b70M7IFuFms1-Q8j3C8PfK/s1155/87taurus05.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1987 Taurus, Sgt. Slaughter, Slaughter's Renegades, 2009 Bootleg Desert Cobra Trooper" border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1155" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGc5I1KTu7BP0sdQ_w4on9mR4AhgyeFsbKUJQ0yMmqaN0oDNcukuU0RTVCvMRth3UsUxXjgyCwYExpRjNDqNZziHknPsn42fVhQFW4duEbc8CMsj1g5_KyD98GQYzJKEjZyKKg8jObaatKci3NUbGKY3JKtqND_imqB76c0b70M7IFuFms1-Q8j3C8PfK/w640-h538/87taurus05.jpg" title="1987 Taurus, Sgt. Slaughter, Slaughter's Renegades, 2009 Bootleg Desert Cobra Trooper" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGv6fg6Yv2qCUWP_RHzOPUkcQNAP6cRCnoO3bni83yKkHiwwPWjF8T0q478kJGOeiXEuX-EyMrhfp6VV1oQPWdgTYSCn1CNih6WB6Tp4WpDQxtWgIa-qlr-xOir5ZP6XoAGmwjQgOUN1spX0jVnzl3ChldU02lRPz_oAq90E_vw96k9onnuIHLlrxgtWS3/s1136/87taurus03.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1987 Taurus, Slaughter's Renegades, Iron Grenadier, 1988" border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="672" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGv6fg6Yv2qCUWP_RHzOPUkcQNAP6cRCnoO3bni83yKkHiwwPWjF8T0q478kJGOeiXEuX-EyMrhfp6VV1oQPWdgTYSCn1CNih6WB6Tp4WpDQxtWgIa-qlr-xOir5ZP6XoAGmwjQgOUN1spX0jVnzl3ChldU02lRPz_oAq90E_vw96k9onnuIHLlrxgtWS3/w378-h640/87taurus03.jpg" title="1987 Taurus, Slaughter's Renegades, 1988, Iron Grenadier" width="378" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBjgat75iXlIPy65QRuR70NKsGm9e29pUTQO_HFxiKILoBUaAvAlPzzFiAjn5qaodDH7W876a-nZWdkUhtOeAu91EowZL3gnFb6SKSP6IOuAcShkdMJsZzyIEJmu7b0A06xHZ89b8W80F5FgbiaB4PIO1HhsJem5_5Yoxt3NI4uRXKFZ5TNNyl30AIw/s869/87taurus01.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1987 Taurus, Slaughter's Renegades," border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="618" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBjgat75iXlIPy65QRuR70NKsGm9e29pUTQO_HFxiKILoBUaAvAlPzzFiAjn5qaodDH7W876a-nZWdkUhtOeAu91EowZL3gnFb6SKSP6IOuAcShkdMJsZzyIEJmu7b0A06xHZ89b8W80F5FgbiaB4PIO1HhsJem5_5Yoxt3NI4uRXKFZ5TNNyl30AIw/w456-h640/87taurus01.jpg" title="1987 Taurus, Slaughter's Renegades," width="456" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-90662647426759540432024-03-08T23:08:00.013-07:002024-03-08T23:08:00.127-07:001991 Cloudburst - Around The Web<div>Cloudburst is one of those figures that would have made for an excellent repaint. But, even his original figure has some merit. The sculpt is solid and the colors do work within the context of his release. He's a pretty obscure release. Which leads to a dearth of content available about the figure. But, there's some fun stuff that you can find below.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2018/10/1991-cloudburst.html" target="_blank">1991 Cloudburst Profile</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CU8CcgFpzTD/" target="_blank">1991 Cloudburst by thedustinmccoy</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=53145" target="_blank">1991 Cloudburst by Flint</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=54050" target="_blank">1991 Cloudburst by Slipstream80</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://gijoe.fandom.com/wiki/Cloudburst" target="_blank">1991 Cloudburst at JoePedia</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.joeaday.com/cloudburst-1991/" target="_blank">1991 Cloudburst at JoeADay.com</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://thedragonfortress.com/2021/06/19/1991-gi-joe-cloudburst-review/" target="_blank">1991 Cloudburst at The Dragon Fortress</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIhhnPXs42M" target="_blank">1991 Air Commandos by Formbx257</a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73bQMySvjaZ7FGIfxguNe6-QsjhdOlA-QlBO3Wwzf1u4vmBvbT3ybQPTTu0BiACR3jqYbM2sNKjzTF_YgaLPSNeiC5r1mFvigBa9_7SKfStQmpb93s5zIEqyykeZgY75chiCkYaaa1LBmlX9vvZNFe0bBym5lMpBM_NTbgAOwnK-3HdHzpzlZ87OJ3Q/s1232/92cloudburst48.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1991 Cloudburst, 1992 Talking Battle Commander General Hawk" border="0" data-original-height="998" data-original-width="1232" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73bQMySvjaZ7FGIfxguNe6-QsjhdOlA-QlBO3Wwzf1u4vmBvbT3ybQPTTu0BiACR3jqYbM2sNKjzTF_YgaLPSNeiC5r1mFvigBa9_7SKfStQmpb93s5zIEqyykeZgY75chiCkYaaa1LBmlX9vvZNFe0bBym5lMpBM_NTbgAOwnK-3HdHzpzlZ87OJ3Q/w640-h518/92cloudburst48.JPG" title="1991 Cloudburst, 1992 Talking Battle Commander General Hawk" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUpv2AC-0N-Q7LPDYODmestMWxr4CyJH8EkpiwPPaowg4nG5Br8lIlwwwFBYHzGsFDvWZF6zHe9erf18jCV0Y5jkql3LPbSWXPvPksk68mhCFpWDsJj1BrlcvMC-2h5elM30e3lucUlYGdqQqLYPYgYStaIr6vI8KowzurMGuuSknFEAuYAAuzDbeatij/s1279/88meandog02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1991 Cloudburst, 1993 Col. Courage, 1988 Mean Dog" border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1279" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUpv2AC-0N-Q7LPDYODmestMWxr4CyJH8EkpiwPPaowg4nG5Br8lIlwwwFBYHzGsFDvWZF6zHe9erf18jCV0Y5jkql3LPbSWXPvPksk68mhCFpWDsJj1BrlcvMC-2h5elM30e3lucUlYGdqQqLYPYgYStaIr6vI8KowzurMGuuSknFEAuYAAuzDbeatij/w640-h460/88meandog02.JPG" title="1991 Cloudburst, 1993 Col. Courage, 1988 Mean Dog" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-56874102400372925982024-03-04T23:26:00.002-07:002024-03-05T13:31:53.223-07:002003 Black Dragon Trooper - Convention Exclusive<div>If you collect ARAH style Joe figures, <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2003" target="_blank">2003</a> is kind of the lost year. In <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2002" target="_blank">2002</a>, Hasbro produced 2 full waves of ARAH style figures. Plus, there was a gift set as well as army builders and oddball characters that were included in the standard retail line. <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2004" target="_blank">2004</a> saw the proliferation of the Toys R Us 6 figure sets, vehicle/figure combos and the arrival of the Comic Pack figures. 2003, though, was actually somewhat sparse when it came to classic style Joe figures. There were the two, initial, Toys R Us sets. And, TRU got quite a collection of exclusive vehicles that also included classically styled figures. There were a bunch of <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Mail%20Away" target="_blank">mail away</a> and online figures. But, retail saw just two figures included in standard waves. And, due to the massive upswing in the line's popularity in late 2003, those weren't around for very long. Also lost in the year is the 2003 Convention set. While the 2002 set was lauded for it's for it army building centric design, the 2003 was condemned for it's focus on characters and more obscure mold reuses. And, even today, it remains the most obscure Convention set. Which is easy to see when one of the best figures released that year is a repaint of the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1988" target="_blank">1988</a> Ferret figure that was repurposed into the Black Dragon Trooper.</div><div><br /></div><div>The 1988 Ferret figure is weird. The mold is bizarre. And, the colors are banal. You'd be hard pressed to find it in any photos on my site. And, I don't even own one any longer. But, seeing it repurposed for a new army builder in 2003 wasn't terrible. Collectors weren't sick of the mold. But, when the figure was first shown, many collectors couldn't even place the original figure who had used the mold: such was the obscurity of the original Ferret. But, this was also where the figure failed. In 2003, collectors were not aware of the sea of army builders that would be debuted at the 2003 convention. And, as such, the collecting community was still full throated shouting that they wanted more of the classic army builders like the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Viper" target="_blank">Vipers</a>, <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/BAT" target="_blank">BATS</a> and <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Cobra%20Trooper" target="_blank">Cobra Troopers</a>. So, seeing a figure in classic Cobra colors but using a mold that most couldn't even place was a disappointment. After getting classic Vipers in 2002, there was an expectation that convention sets would always be excellently colored uses of staple army building molds. When the script shifted, collectors weren't pleased. And, there simply wasn't much excitement over the 2003 sets as an army in the box that collectors felt they deserved.</div><div><br /></div><div>The one thing you can say about the 2003 Convention set is that it, probably, leaned too hard into the obscure aspect for the mold choices. And, instead of making just good figures, the set ended up with an abundance of unappreciated molds that collectors really didn't care for. While the 2002 Convention set quickly appreciated on the second hand market right after its release, the 2003 did not. In fact, you could even get many figures in from the set for less than their original cost for a bit. In time, the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Falcon" target="_blank">Falcon</a> and <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Lady%20Jaye" target="_blank">Lady Jaye</a> found some appreciation. But, generally, the set was just discarded. Collectors put it away in their closets and just left it there. Even today, about the only content that exists on this are the remnants of the 2003 Joe community that you can find on a select few remaining fan sites. People just don't use the figures. And, for the newer collectors who don't own the figures, there's little desire to track them down.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't really have a specific purpose for the Black Dragon Trooper. He's, pretty much, just a figure that I use as a humble brag in the background of photos of other, blue Cobras from that era. He can be heavily armored. And, with <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2001" target="_blank">2001</a> <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Fast%20Blast%20Viper" target="_blank">Fast Blast Viper</a> gear, he might make for an interesting take on a <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/HEAT%20Viper" target="_blank">HEAT Viper</a>. But, I think his best use is with a <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Shadow%20Viper" target="_blank">2001 Shadow Viper</a> backpack so you can pigeon hole the figure into <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Star%20Brigade" target="_blank">Star Brigade</a>. In this capacity, the oddball chest piece works as space survival gear. And, the weird helmet is more forgivable. But, really, I've never seen the figure as anything other than a checkbox to complete my collection. I had one back at the time of his release. But, ended up selling it. It was only through a random (and cheap!) find at a local shop that I bothered to re-add him to my collection. And, really, the only reason I did so was because convention figures were starting to rise in price and I figured I could at least use him in a profile.</div><div><br /></div><div>The figure's true purpose is one I've never bothered to explore. Convention filecards were laughably bad. They weren't bad in the over-produced way that adults tend to write filecards, now. No, they were just terrible. The Black Dragon faction was the first stand alone idea that the club put together. For some reason, a ninja had to have a force of heavily armored troopers. It made no sense. And, as the Black Dragon Ninja didn't really jive with fans of the era, the entire concept was mothballed away. While we got a retail <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Black%20Dragon%20Ninja" target="_blank">Black Dragon Ninja</a> in late 2004, it had no relevance to the 2003 convention figures. Maybe the convention filecards try to make a story of all this mess. But, in the end, there's two out of place figures in really nice coloring that collectors can use however they please.</div><div><br /></div><div>The paint applications on the Black Dragon Trooper are well done. The blue color is rich and vibrant. It is offset by strong gold accents that break up the black base. The figure even features grey boots: adding another color to the palette and making this figure feel more substantial than retail releases of ARAH molds from the same time period. But, really, while the colors are great, they also allow the mold's weakness to show through. 1988 tends to be a weird villain year with lots of figures who have oddball and unexplainable details. And, the Ferret is the poster child for the silliness that 1988 sometimes offered. The welder's mask beneath a a bouffant helmet is still just that. It's mystifying but indifferent. And, that sums the figure up as a whole. He looks fine. But, he's still just so obscure and bizarre that you aren't compelled to own one.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Black Dragon Trooper's weapons are just a recycled <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1993" target="_blank">1993</a> weapon tree. However, since collectors of 2003 were still VERY anti-'90's, the club actually took the step to remove all the weapons from the tree and only offer them as loose accessories. This is too bad because weapon trees are awesome. But, it was also nice because it ensured that every weapon was already loose and we don't see hundreds of these figures with an unused weapon tree behind them as the default sales mode. The chosen weapons are one of the stronger "Cobra" trees from that era. It features the 1991 <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Incinerator" target="_blank">Incinerator</a> flamethrower (a personal favorite), a 1988 <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Voltar" target="_blank">Voltar</a> rifle, a 1988 <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Toxo%20Viper" target="_blank">Toxo Viper</a> weapon and a 1990 <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Rock%20Viper" target="_blank">Rock Viper</a> rifle. I don't care for the last three weapons. But, I like the Incinerator weapon well enough to call the accessories good enough. 2003 was the final year that black weapons were included with convention figures. The club switched to grey in 2004 under the false pretext that "people" were worried about mistaking the much, much rarer convention accessories for the easy to find originals. The figure also includes a 1992 <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Gung%20Ho" target="_blank">Gung Ho</a> backpack and a clear figure stand. This was the last set that ever tried to use weapon tree molds with a figure. And, the sets were better for it since the trees didn't really match the aesthetic of the later convention figures.</div><div><br /></div><div>The 2003 Convention figures were very affordable...up until the latest boom in Joe prices. And, while the 2003 figures lagged their peers in value for a while, you'll now only find these figures at premium pricing. Black Dragon Troopers seem to sell in the $40-$45 range. But, you'll more often find dealers trying to still get $70. For a Convention figure, that's actually not too bad of a price these days. But, it's a far cry from the $15-$18 this guy would have cost you just 5 years ago. The general malaise towards the 2003 set and the specific disinterest in the Ferret mold combine for one of, if not the, cheapest Convention army builders that's left. I can't say, though, that he's worth it. The Black Dragon Trooper is a fine figure. But, you don't need it. He's a great companion piece to an army. But, a squad of 12 of them seems like overkill. He's just one of those figures who exists but everyone seems to have completely forgotten.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpmorRdSk4e6HoOApG3YbgStQGguHxSYYZsn00pXsCtTrhyphenhyphenTudB15aUR4RSUrkGf3ozX9mAVgaktywCdv6adcHhRWThKVzGxkoiofHb2wOUBOBeAaZRh46CiiWty2rORbhT3iIidgJX6l/s1600/03blackdragontrooper01+%25282%2529.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2003 Black Dragon Trooper, Convention Exclusive, Ferret, 2004 Flak Viper, Nullifier, Urban Strike" border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="671" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpmorRdSk4e6HoOApG3YbgStQGguHxSYYZsn00pXsCtTrhyphenhyphenTudB15aUR4RSUrkGf3ozX9mAVgaktywCdv6adcHhRWThKVzGxkoiofHb2wOUBOBeAaZRh46CiiWty2rORbhT3iIidgJX6l/s640/03blackdragontrooper01+%25282%2529.JPG" title="2003 Black Dragon Trooper, Convention Exclusive, Ferret, 2004 Flak Viper, Nullifier, Urban Strike" width="440" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibmItpxz2rbwQPfKWI_ddg_v7bYsqNcu8JGm2ZXhYM6pmiI1c9I90aTf8hARlI2mAegulpWYM2ywFgW2QhGba7hT0e8Cu4iVhxxxU_Skb1dxYMWOx_OnjI_MxgAd9SkLPXRQioYAR9-WE/s1329/03blackdragontrooper05.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2003 Convention Exclusive Black Dragon Trooper, 1993 Mail Away Spirit Iron Knife" border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="1329" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibmItpxz2rbwQPfKWI_ddg_v7bYsqNcu8JGm2ZXhYM6pmiI1c9I90aTf8hARlI2mAegulpWYM2ywFgW2QhGba7hT0e8Cu4iVhxxxU_Skb1dxYMWOx_OnjI_MxgAd9SkLPXRQioYAR9-WE/w640-h528/03blackdragontrooper05.JPG" title="2003 Convention Exclusive Black Dragon Trooper, 1993 Mail Away Spirit Iron Knife" width="640" /></a></div><br />Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-36932141688898414162024-03-01T23:06:00.056-07:002024-03-01T23:06:00.120-07:002018 Shadowtracker - Around The Web<div>In regards to the comments on the Fail Safe profile.</div><div><br /></div><div>For the past few months I have been very down on Joe. There are a variety of reasons for this. First and foremost is that I'm simply getting bored. Since the fall of 2015, I've posted an average of 2 posts per week. That's thousands of photos of action figures. And, it's the equivalent of several novels. In short, I'm out of things to say. I've told my stories. I've expressed my likes and dislikes of the Joe line. And, I'm just at a point where my collection has not kept up with my content and I'm out of things to write about.</div><div><br /></div><div>Part of this is just the weather. I hate winter. Like, really hate it. And, 6 months of brown, dead leaves and mud saps much of my desire to get Joes outside. I've broken more than a couple Joes in cold weather in the past few years. And, that pisses me off. So, I'm more loathe to even consider outdoor photography when it's cold outside. And, one thing I've learned is that if I'm not taking photos of my collection, I really don't have much else to do with it.</div><div><br /></div><div>An equal part, though, is that the collecting world is pretty stagnant. Hasbro's o-ring line fell flat. Even if you don't mind the quality, the line was almost exclusively items we already had. The best figures were the ones we didn't get before. (Duke, Cobra Commander and the Ramp Rat come to mind.) But, overall, there's really nothing in the 2020's line that you'd miss if it didn't exist. </div><div><br /></div><div>That leaves the Kickstarter figures. And, while I get the excitement these bring many collectors, I find them lacking. None of them capture the essence or style of the original Joe line. Some lines look like mega-block figures. Other lines look like downscaled anniversary figures that had an o-ring inserted for nostalgia. I've always been a Joe snob. I don't even think that Remco or Lanard figures are compatible with Joe. They stick out. And, most of the Kickstarters do, too.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mostly, it's the heads. Not even Hasbro has been able to replicate vintage Joe heads. The attempts never look right. And, this is where most of the Kickstarters, to me, fall short. I see pumpkin heads that extend over the figure's shoulders and I'm turned off. I've yet to see an actual production level Kickstarter that has left me disappointed that I didn't back it. In fact, the opposite has been true.</div><div><br /></div><div>I kvech a lot about the decaying Joe line and getting older because it's a big part of collecting. One my esteemed commenters mentioned that we are now the guys with trains in their basements. There's nothing wrong with that. But, it helps put a collection into perspective. When I see my childhood playthings turning to yellowed dust, I reminds me of my Dad's prized possessions from his childhood and the way they rusted and broke into decay as they were stored in a closet in our basement. I see the same thing happening to me. And, frankly, writing about it helps me deal with some of the harshness of now being over 50. It's cheaper and more convenient than real therapy.</div><div><br /></div><div>In short, I may just need a break. In the past, I've taken short and long hiatuses from the hobby. I come back, recharged. But, when the plants turn green, we get some rain and there's a great, natural setting down by the creek, I might be out with a bucket full of figures every afternoon. </div><div><br /></div><div>The important thing is that I still find value in the Joe community. I appreciate every single person who stops by to view or read my part of the Joe world. And, I'm grateful for those who take the time to comment. </div><div><br /></div><div>For me, I have some fun stuff coming up. I've got a piece that I really enjoy that's coming...maybe even next week. And, there's a couple of really obscure figures that I'll be posting soon, too. I still have over 500 drafts sitting in my content bucket. So, I won't want for content for a while. And, when I do get a spark of creativity, I tend to write a lot in a very short time. </div><div><br /></div><div>Until then, enjoy some other peoples' work in regards to the 2018 Shadowtracker from Red Laser Army. I miss RLA. They made some neat stuff.</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2019/12/2018-shadowtracker.html" target="_blank">2018 Shadowtracker Profile</a><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B1di7SFAEW5/" target="_blank">Shadowtracker by atticagazette</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CHVdk0Wg3pc/?hl=en" target="_blank">Shadowtracker by general_liederkranz</a><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGp5z53g576/" target="_blank">Shadowtracker by strikeforcecodename</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGNgEkngb4v/" target="_blank">Shadowtracker by slipstream80</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CqB-uFTpmfa/?hl=en" target="_blank">Shadowtracker by flatline54</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwh9GZWglZa/" target="_blank">Shadowtracker by fuerzatigre</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0MK5UWAk_L/" target="_blank">Shadowtracker by strikeforce_codename</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz_aiaDBHaM/" target="_blank">Shadowtracker by slipstream80</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMH4i1xgitJ/" target="_blank">Shadowtracker by general_liederkranz</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUSWJZsA2Q0/" target="_blank">Shadowtracker by relena_warcraft</a><br />
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<br /></div></div>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-82446108854328580952024-02-28T23:33:00.031-07:002024-02-28T23:33:00.128-07:001993 Crimson Guard Commander - Random Photos of the Day<p>On February 29, 2000, I posted a profile of the 1993 Crimson Guard Commander. I wanted to get a post published on leap day. So, 24 years later, why not come full circle and post up some random photos of the 1993 Crimson Guard Commander on leap day?</p><p>So, here's some photos of the figure. My army has grown by a small amount. I bought two of these guys at retail and it took me more than two decades to really expand upon that initial force. You don't really see this figure army built all that often. It's a function of the figure being labeled a commander as well as the general apathy that collectors tend to have towards the mold.</p><p>Personally, this remains one my preferred 1993 army builders. I do wish we'd have gotten a repaint where the yellow is replace with silver. But, we never got it. One of these days, I'll get a few more of these guys to complete my 1993 army. Until then, enjoy what's below and let me know your thoughts on this figure.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_c_tOUspLzkwBjNJHd5OSojRfpi3ll3LtWdXX0BAge3KCRb-rVZOFs3W1FvOuSwaL4IretoC_e4GfmR_-lI5rhfhlqJ41z1mWVxNWw93hGEm8-FtlZdskmaWOkONXdrt6jWx1UEwR3Dv0L32z7mSQewUvzEMC2NthynPNg-bJQF8R7XuXDc81noa4Q/s1348/93crimsonguardcommander43.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Crimson Guard Commander, 1985 Tomax, Xamot, 1983 FANG" border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1348" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_c_tOUspLzkwBjNJHd5OSojRfpi3ll3LtWdXX0BAge3KCRb-rVZOFs3W1FvOuSwaL4IretoC_e4GfmR_-lI5rhfhlqJ41z1mWVxNWw93hGEm8-FtlZdskmaWOkONXdrt6jWx1UEwR3Dv0L32z7mSQewUvzEMC2NthynPNg-bJQF8R7XuXDc81noa4Q/w640-h486/93crimsonguardcommander43.jpg" title="1993 Crimson Guard Commander, 1985 Tomax, Xamot, 1983 FANG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYv58JaTDJuyEmslKTjRbE8Szj5Hb7ct2tx9n_Inu0Hai9dpulBVanZPqOGp8fluWOkcCpylIBVn9IYWoB9EA62KGxxQ04OrXbjA9UjnpmLuTtXeyjGIFc9L65XvyIVF0lp7hWRqUhXA2YJdZInynSYzGA3TeBv_7HpDE8ClUfT6MxuB2XGg6YealVUQ/s1441/93crimsonguardcommander44.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Crimson Guard Commander, 1985 Tomax, Xamot, 1983 FANG" border="0" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="1441" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYv58JaTDJuyEmslKTjRbE8Szj5Hb7ct2tx9n_Inu0Hai9dpulBVanZPqOGp8fluWOkcCpylIBVn9IYWoB9EA62KGxxQ04OrXbjA9UjnpmLuTtXeyjGIFc9L65XvyIVF0lp7hWRqUhXA2YJdZInynSYzGA3TeBv_7HpDE8ClUfT6MxuB2XGg6YealVUQ/w640-h464/93crimsonguardcommander44.jpg" title="1993 Crimson Guard Commander, 1985 Tomax, Xamot, 1983 FANG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguv5h70CPIgGvrHFE5TU_VpUkY4msTd4gcf6JxHZOqhElWrKrSUjH6YP-d-tH1X_27rjfgvFmBVGLFaOysSr4CARwUaOVEdY6x_IU-K--uk6cX1vIklgxvOkxUrUE7BOo-m4DtyZAHav2o0u3wFTIH4jC07JzBkiMTSOtShwJYsQqp54XfQpejP10HPA/s1370/93crimsonguardcommaner425.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img alt="1993 Crimson Guard Commander, 2004 Crimson Guard" border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="1062" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguv5h70CPIgGvrHFE5TU_VpUkY4msTd4gcf6JxHZOqhElWrKrSUjH6YP-d-tH1X_27rjfgvFmBVGLFaOysSr4CARwUaOVEdY6x_IU-K--uk6cX1vIklgxvOkxUrUE7BOo-m4DtyZAHav2o0u3wFTIH4jC07JzBkiMTSOtShwJYsQqp54XfQpejP10HPA/w496-h640/93crimsonguardcommaner425.jpg" title="1993 Crimson Guard Commander, 2004 Crimson Guard" width="496" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qlRxsEXolmMxZvqBWmyvUrH_9n9SZZyFD0ofhIhqIlvoTh22VIanNf6l39mx6ASOzO5gfhxY-EqZHLR5HJ3lN8QCKhxiibkgArxzkGInxQY3N5abECnRlHdTaS3zjlS3qWDNYNin33l0/s1063/93crimsonguardcommander46.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Crimson Guard Commander, Flak Viper" border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1063" height="588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qlRxsEXolmMxZvqBWmyvUrH_9n9SZZyFD0ofhIhqIlvoTh22VIanNf6l39mx6ASOzO5gfhxY-EqZHLR5HJ3lN8QCKhxiibkgArxzkGInxQY3N5abECnRlHdTaS3zjlS3qWDNYNin33l0/w640-h588/93crimsonguardcommander46.JPG" title="1993 Crimson Guard Commander, Flak Viper" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJJxZat3uWmu2Yi4PhI2sOLsZeJV3nDeG-sXQCN7X17Te_khW5zDuw3KVQbqb11xsmKo3xIoaXd9rj_B0wpgJKR7YuZxPHrskTtIsTnZpSYVhQoNG_KKCMMa1DHZTXnbieoIDCcN4yNQF/s1274/93crimsonguardcommander130.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Crimson Guard Commander, Flak Viper, Star Brigade, TARGAT" border="0" data-original-height="1115" data-original-width="1274" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJJxZat3uWmu2Yi4PhI2sOLsZeJV3nDeG-sXQCN7X17Te_khW5zDuw3KVQbqb11xsmKo3xIoaXd9rj_B0wpgJKR7YuZxPHrskTtIsTnZpSYVhQoNG_KKCMMa1DHZTXnbieoIDCcN4yNQF/w640-h560/93crimsonguardcommander130.JPG" title="1993 Crimson Guard Commander, Flak Viper, Star Brigade, TARGAT" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Rdy8kwuCixFQ2FpQtJQzuCkGanAF0MIMbwwwIZtOIsbYtoRvfvI-lB6QbpacxMNvlubWVmtFAH4ULFyik_3X9qul1wgdxHLicLYtWvha2LK5y3SISRT1ITKj6XowdUeUreMRKZHacP2J5KT7Exl0fpaf78_b0ZmNX808yb81B207fkHOYulVRsIXUA/s1072/93crimsonguardcommander903.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Crimson Guard Commander, Flak Viper" border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="860" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Rdy8kwuCixFQ2FpQtJQzuCkGanAF0MIMbwwwIZtOIsbYtoRvfvI-lB6QbpacxMNvlubWVmtFAH4ULFyik_3X9qul1wgdxHLicLYtWvha2LK5y3SISRT1ITKj6XowdUeUreMRKZHacP2J5KT7Exl0fpaf78_b0ZmNX808yb81B207fkHOYulVRsIXUA/w514-h640/93crimsonguardcommander903.JPG" title="1993 Crimson Guard Commander, Flak Viper" width="514" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-15423016812402865982024-02-26T23:01:00.108-07:002024-02-26T23:01:00.157-07:002023 Fail Safe<p>I regret backing the Skystiker. It's been a year since it shipped and has now aged into the community. And, I should never have bought it. At the time, I thought that several of the figures from the set were going to be $100+ on the secondary market. That didn't happen. In fact, many of the figures are stupidly cheap. So cheap that many people who speculated in the set have stopped selling the figures because some were selling for below the retail cost of Pulse era retro figures. As such, the $500 I spent to get two of the Skystriker sets would have been far better spent buying up the figures I wanted on the aftermarket. Sometimes, you make a bad decision, even though it's based on the best information available at the time. But, the real regret over the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Skystriker" target="_blank">Skystriker</a> is that the figures are just piss-poor quality. Which is a damn shame because a figure like Fail Safe should have been one of the better releases we've seen in the entirety of the 2000's.</p><p>When I say piss poor quality, I'm specifically speaking to the materials used on the figures. I do think that all of the Skystriker figures were designed well. The team took absolutely no chances on them. Which means that the figures are all solid. But, there's also nothing that really stands out. Each figure kind of feels like he's been released before in some way. But, in a line that loves its repaints and homages, that's what collectors tend to buy. The main issue is that the plastic used is very soft. You can definitely tell that Hasbro never really intended for collectors to actually open the figures. This indicates a massive lack of understanding of the 3 3/4" collecting community. We've never been a carded first group like Star Wars and Marvel collectors tend to be. We are openers first with a 2nd carded version being the exception rather than the norm. </p><p>And, that's why the poor plastic bothers me so much. I actually want to use these figures in photos and dioramas. I'd love to have them displayed around the collection. But, they just aren't quite up to snuff. I'm afraid of paint loss just from using the accessories. And, some of the gear is so poor that you can't even get it onto the figure without risking breakage. I have no use for figures that I can't use. I've never felt that Joes were worthy of an artistic display when they were still in their packaging. Really, I kept cardbacks because I was too lazy to cut out the filecards that I did want to keep. I never felt the card artwork was anything other than a sometimes reference point for subtle nuances of the toy mold. </p><p>One of the most damning indictments of the Skystriker is that you simply don't see it in photos...anywhere. While the Instagram G.I. Joe community is much smaller these days than it was even just in the late 2010's, it's still large enough to spot trends and see which toys have caught on with collectors. And, the actual Skystriker hasn't. Really, the only part of the Skystriker that's caught on with collectors is the Cobra Ramp Rat. (You also see the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Cobra%20Commander" target="_blank">Mickey Mouse Cobra Commander</a> from time to time.) You never see dioramas with the actual plane. And, with about the same number of Skystikers out there as here were 2000's era Toys R Us exclusives, you should see the planes appear in the online content that is still created. But, to be fair, I never even put my planes together. I checked the parts, pulled out the figures to open, segregated the missile loading vehicles and haven't even bothered to look at the airplane pieces in the year since I buried them in a basement closet in February of 2023. </p><p>The one success of Fail Safe is the head. Hasbro utterly failed to produce nice heads in the 2000's. They were too big, too small or just didn't fit the body on which they were placed. It's really surprising how consistently bad the new heads were between <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1998" target="_blank">1998</a> and <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2010" target="_blank">2010</a>. But, Fail Safe's is OK. It's heavily based on <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Ripcord" target="_blank">Ripcord's</a> head. And, that's probably why it works. They just used a solid design, made some tweaks and called it good. But, that made it a success. This figure looks like he could have been released in <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1984" target="_blank">1984</a>. And, that's about the highest compliment you can give to newly sculpted pieces on retro Joes.</p><p>It, of course, fails because the head is painted. Painted heads suck. They look terrible, scuff easily and generally make the face just look flat and fuzzy. And, since Fail Safe has a very nice helmet, putting the helmet on and taking it off is likely to wear down his face paint over the next few years. Hasbro will simply not give up on painted faces, even when they are comically bad like the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Baroness" target="_blank">Baroness</a> and <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Zarana" target="_blank">Zarana</a>. The only upside to Fail Safe's helmet is that it's made of absurdly flimsy plastic. So, it's less likely to scrape the paint away when you want to actually put it onto the figure's head.</p><p>The rest of Fail Safe is pretty nicely blended. The flight vest is well detailed. It's reminiscent of the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Ace" target="_blank">1992 Ace</a> body...only if it had been sculpted a decade earlier. The best part of the figure's torso, though, is that it features some solid paint applications. It features blue, silver, black and two shades of green. The colors blend well together. Fail Safe isn't going to draw much attention to himself with his coloring. But, the muted tones suit the figure's specialty as well as any other color combo. I'm worried about paint chipping on the soft plastic. Until then, though, Fail Safe is a nice match for many early Joe vehicles, including more traditional flying machines like the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Dragonfly" target="_blank">Dragonfly</a>.</p><p>One of the great nuances of the Joe line is that there is a definitive color palette split between the vintage Joes of <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1982" target="_blank">1982</a>-<a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1994" target="_blank">1994</a> and the repaint era and later figures that have come since. Two main differences are that the later colors are flatter and less vibrant. Even if you look at 1982 releases, the colors are powerful and eye-catching. In <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1997" target="_blank">1997</a> and later, there were some really nice colors. But, they had a flatter finish that mutes them. So, even sets of figures that feature a rainbow of colors still tend to blend together. The designers of vintage Joes have often spoken about how the appearance of the entire line on a retail shelf was of huge importance to them. They, specifically, chose colors that complemented and accentuated each other to create a pleasing visual experience for the customer. In the post vintage Joe world, though, the figures are more designed to look similar than they are to be part of an overall tapestry.</p><p>This has lead to a schism in the two lines. It's tough to mingle vintage and post-vintage Joe figures because the base approach to color was so different. There are some figures that do look good together. But, the combos are a lot harder to find than if you mingle Joes from 1983 and 1993 together. The Pulse releases also skew towards the post vintage color approach. While Fail Safe features a wonderful hue of green, it is also rather flat in finish. So, he looks great with 1997 and later figures. Bu, when posed among 1984 figures, he tends to stand out as an oddball. I'm certain that the softer plastic that been used on the post-1994 releases is part of the difference in appearance. But, I also think that some of it is purposeful choice. Hasbro was lead to believe that collectors wanted "gritty, realistic" colors...even though that was never the aesthetic of the vintage line. But, Hasbro went with it and the glossy finish that made the vintage figures so eye-catching was tossed aside.</p><p>Fail Safe included just two accessories. One was a newly sculpted pistol that really doesn't work. They should have resculpted the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/General%20Hawk" target="_blank">1986 Hawk</a> pistol or the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Chuckles" target="_blank">1987 Chuckles</a> pistol for the figure. But, the new weapon features a handle that's too large and that makes it look incredibly awkward when placed in the figure's hands. The other piece of gear is a redone <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Airborne" target="_blank">1983 Airborne</a> helmet. It's really nice. It is so nice that it works way better on the contemporary <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Night%20Force" target="_blank">Night Force</a> Ripcord figure. The green matches <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Ripcord" target="_blank">Ripcord's</a> hue and breaks up the figure's appearance when he has the green helmet instead of his included black version. I'd have liked an air mask with the figure as it makes no sense that the Skystriker's main pilot would require a pressurized flight suit but his battery mate wouldn't even need an additional oxygen supply. But, a Ripcord airmask works on the figure. It's just disappointing that a premium release didn't include a better complement of accessories.</p><p>In handling the Pulse era figures, it's pretty obvious that it's a softer, cheaper grade of plastic than vintage. It's very similar to the plastic used between 2000 and 2007. And, that's going to be a problem. The figures from the repaint era are not holding up well. Discoloration is common, even on still carded or packaged figures. This is likely to also occur to the Pulse era figures. Fail Safe will be interesting. His green color is less likely to yellow than, say, the blue color used for <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Scarlett" target="_blank">Scarlett</a>. But, we'll see how the upper arms hold up as that's the first area we see degradation on the repaint figures from 15 to 20 years ago. But, even Hasbro's flagship Star Wars lines that use similar plastic tend to discolor. It's just the nature of the materials. And, a likely inevitable end for all figures that were made from it.</p><p>As 2023 began, I was certain we'd see another 3 3/4" Joe Haslab. The Skystriker performed well. And, the aftermarket malaise was not yet known when Hasbro would have been designing the follow up. But, Hasbro shifted and moved all their resources to the 6" scale. And, it's hard to argue with the results as the Hiss Tank and Dragonfly have both funded without any hint of hesitation. The people who work on the Joe line will better pad their resumes with toys like those than they will with recreations of 40 year old toys in a dying scale. And, the complete and utter failure of the Cobra Mothership also calls into question whether the 3 3/4" collector base could support another Haslab to the tune of 17 thousand units. It sucks that we'll never get an updated Whale, Rattler or Moray to replace the ones rotting away in our basements and attics. And, I don't really get any joy knowing that we did get a plane with no play value.</p><p>So, I figured Fail Safes would start out around $70 or more for a carded figure. And, I also expected them to climb to over $100 after a year. That...didn't happen. Now, you can easily buy a carded figure for around $40 shipped. If you can find someone selling it at auction, they'll go for $15-$25...usually near the lower end. After 20 years, we've seen the Toys R Us figures climb to stupidly high prices. But, I doubt Fail Safe will follow that trend. In 20 years, Joe collectors will be mostly retired with many staring down their 70's. Yes, that's right. We're now closer to our 70's than our 20's...even if we feel like our 20's were yesterday and our 70's are light years away. But, 70 year olds won't be buying collectibles for speculative prices. And, let's face it, a lot of us will be dead and gone with our collections tossed away for pennies on the dollar as our kids and grandkids won't want to deal with the incredible hassle of liquidating a collection of crumbling and yellowing toys. </p><p>It's still possible that this figure will find some aftermarket life. There was a massive speculator buy in for the Skystriker since a lot of Star Wars fans had some money to spend when the Rancor failed just days before the Skystriker funded. And, that speculative stock is lowering. Slowly, the top figures from the Skystriker set are getting bought up. But, there's still plenty of Fail Safe's out there. And, if there's an event that forces more collectors to liquidate duplicates and unloved items, we'll see a flood of Skystrikers coming into the market once again. But, if you can get a cheap Fail Safe, you should. He's one of the best "new" figures Hasbro has done in the past 25 years. He's not perfect. But, he's good enough. And, these days, that's about the best you can expect from Hasbro's attempts to salvage the legacy of the ARAH style Joes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSs6uYeiWPQUVY9cWbWnGiUvSWFKBNEN3vcqhmN0DgKDrQmgSIk_DisVFd9Ac5CioeFLdeawkDVWlrReX_5w7lJanea9Sq3R-2YKUk2ZTNknj2WMj-rG3teHAXqVbq2FB409zb9qF-gMNOWv7mIiDqFNP47cCiH683NDhR_dilPDhxS5dbyMPhNQ64IDf/s1096/23failsafe03.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2023 Fail Safe, Haslab Skystriker, 1997 Grunt" border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1096" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSs6uYeiWPQUVY9cWbWnGiUvSWFKBNEN3vcqhmN0DgKDrQmgSIk_DisVFd9Ac5CioeFLdeawkDVWlrReX_5w7lJanea9Sq3R-2YKUk2ZTNknj2WMj-rG3teHAXqVbq2FB409zb9qF-gMNOWv7mIiDqFNP47cCiH683NDhR_dilPDhxS5dbyMPhNQ64IDf/w640-h602/23failsafe03.jpg" title="2023 Fail Safe, Haslab Skystriker, 1997 Grunt" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzCLAHKTUq53vtb1BTTCgWAgPLk4QPzdSh70BsTMabhNvB5RZm1X_K-kGQpPga-8-7loEYRQwUFO0D0kNtp3nlyknKj3p0tXpQ_7tJnywqJ2MM4pvv7upxCI86Wdp0AWK-yFmsDLf-b0eGweXPl9uBhM285S4MAiRm_WvlSfwUJz6e7a0IwkaUu6XAA/s1092/23failsafe01.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2023 Fail Safe, Haslab Skystriker" border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="920" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzCLAHKTUq53vtb1BTTCgWAgPLk4QPzdSh70BsTMabhNvB5RZm1X_K-kGQpPga-8-7loEYRQwUFO0D0kNtp3nlyknKj3p0tXpQ_7tJnywqJ2MM4pvv7upxCI86Wdp0AWK-yFmsDLf-b0eGweXPl9uBhM285S4MAiRm_WvlSfwUJz6e7a0IwkaUu6XAA/w540-h640/23failsafe01.jpg" title="2023 Fail Safe, Haslab Skystriker" width="540" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-26053131858803380582024-02-23T23:13:00.005-07:002024-02-23T23:13:00.120-07:001993 Frostbite - Around The Web<p>I really enjoy the 1993 Frostbite figure. The mold is solid and the colors are great in the snow. He's got a decent weapons tree. And, he has a cool snow mask that can be used to both anonymize the figure or make him incredibly unique. There's some decent content featuring the figure out there. So, check some out now that the winter is, hopefully, winding down.</p><p><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2018/08/1993-frostbite.html" target="_blank">1993 Frostbite Profile</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CK_7J10gb-D/" target="_blank">1993 Frostbite by _toyler_</a></p><p><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=55709" target="_blank">1993 Frostbite by jogun warrior</a></p><p><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=39715" target="_blank">1993 Frostbite by recondo martin</a></p><p><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=50477" target="_blank">1993 Frostbite by slipstream80</a></p><p><a href="https://www.joeaday.com/frostbite-1993-2/" target="_blank">1993 Frostbite at Joe A Day</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BrvJpo9HYOc/" target="_blank">1993 Frostbite by thedailyscoop1989</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJRz8vUAEHk/" target="_blank">1993 Frostbite by toysandtomfoolery</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B73wME1gk0E/" target="_blank">1993 Frostbite by gijoekorea</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8bALFWAD_1/" target="_blank">1993 Frostbite by myplasticshots</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CnutXJOOD70/?hl=en" target="_blank">1993 Frostbite by offc0ur5e</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyi8V7cd8CLT7FQof5oLwpXwSNiGJoKyf9vYNTMlFghr35V8_jLgtCrQZFQeMF-haxHZPnKHMHaWUSp7WzcTjyIQWcr-E2tK0_4HGg8NWtAqewoN3tvrGcggfj0kpjAid8owPKZ4L5_EkQUsAHb0Vzamac_YeN0VUEEEGZOlqAPOuzdNkFVqgrFBjGA/s1124/93frostbite14.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Frostbite, Battle Corps, Iceberg, 1983 Battle Bear" border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1091" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyi8V7cd8CLT7FQof5oLwpXwSNiGJoKyf9vYNTMlFghr35V8_jLgtCrQZFQeMF-haxHZPnKHMHaWUSp7WzcTjyIQWcr-E2tK0_4HGg8NWtAqewoN3tvrGcggfj0kpjAid8owPKZ4L5_EkQUsAHb0Vzamac_YeN0VUEEEGZOlqAPOuzdNkFVqgrFBjGA/w622-h640/93frostbite14.JPG" title="1993 Frostbite, Battle Corps, Iceberg, 1983 Battle Bear" width="622" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtZCaioOoLHkzJuzWRCyAiU76veK4Oul-HwZnYsuSbfq-Qq9435MazFsCXOUi9Gxkxt3VvIIMQ2eKvnLjsu3yuJ5A1LjXfmeimj6cZSlfunSXE-fLpq5G_h7LFJz-dKaaaVFQshvP-5u1Qpbmroip_I2qk5uB9aRSwYrs9MEiEPFsd9ZdTCTs8NWz8LA=s1040" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Frostbite, Battle Corps" border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="973" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtZCaioOoLHkzJuzWRCyAiU76veK4Oul-HwZnYsuSbfq-Qq9435MazFsCXOUi9Gxkxt3VvIIMQ2eKvnLjsu3yuJ5A1LjXfmeimj6cZSlfunSXE-fLpq5G_h7LFJz-dKaaaVFQshvP-5u1Qpbmroip_I2qk5uB9aRSwYrs9MEiEPFsd9ZdTCTs8NWz8LA=w598-h640" title="1993 Frostbite, Battle Corps" width="598" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1OGWx6WEKpiFbQQK28CJX7T_UlMpCQUaP12BYTcpi1HgFTmIk5QnfYGP2hYkAjYyFt-vtHC5MvjdiqAUSK3hL4wb77cMRpy4E22XOvWsjsWqFDzDnD1MAJzp16H40SycO1fqzyzd3iaZLivut01fu7UxUkq1QN_K4WXfrBtfRLp2506kXRT0NQhXcKA=s988" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Frostbite, Battle Corps" border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="807" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1OGWx6WEKpiFbQQK28CJX7T_UlMpCQUaP12BYTcpi1HgFTmIk5QnfYGP2hYkAjYyFt-vtHC5MvjdiqAUSK3hL4wb77cMRpy4E22XOvWsjsWqFDzDnD1MAJzp16H40SycO1fqzyzd3iaZLivut01fu7UxUkq1QN_K4WXfrBtfRLp2506kXRT0NQhXcKA=w522-h640" title="1993 Frostbite, Battle Corps" width="522" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-30495984469936998762024-02-20T00:23:00.113-07:002024-02-20T00:23:00.244-07:002005 Comic Pack Cobra Commander - Clear<p>The <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Star%20Wars" target="_blank">Star Wars</a> line has long been about scene specific figures. Collectors clamour for their favorite characters as they appeared in just a few seconds of screen time. For the first 20 years or so of the Hasbro Stars Wars renaissance, Hasbro was happy to oblige. One of the weird offerings, though, came in the line's earliest days. You could buy some Lay's chip brands and send away for a clear "Spirit of Obi-Wan" figure. Personally, I didn't really see the appeal of such a limited figure. But, I was a sucker. And, I mailed away for one of the figures. (And, like everyone else, I actually thought the figure would have some future collectability due to the obscure release method. Oops.) The translucent blue plastic that was used was a pretty solid representation of the character's appearance on screen. And, over the next decade, Hasbro would release a cornucopia of "spirit" figures using the same basic plastic. Finally, in <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2005" target="_blank">2005</a>, though, the concept was brought to the G.I. Joe line. Instead of the figure representing a ghost, though, we were given an interpretation of Cobra Commander as his image is projected through a camera. For a figure mold that had been a bit overdone by 2005, though, this approach of a clear Cobra Commander was an interesting and refreshing choice for a figure release.</p><p>Of course, the real question is what can you do with a translucent version of <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Cobra%20Commander" target="_blank">Cobra Commander</a>? With no paint, you can't really pretend it's a stealth suit. (Like you can with the clear, Arctic <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Mirage" target="_blank">Mirage</a> figure.) So, you're really left with the figure as a projection of the Commander who can gloat in front of his enemies and inspire his troopers: all while he is safe inside a basement bunker where he can feel safe. Cobra's armies, in their brainwashed glory, fall for this cowardice. Which, speaks to the gullibility of those who the Commander recruited from small town America. The issue with a projection figure is that you need something to project the image. This can be accomplished in various ways. But, the best is just to use a <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Tele%20Viper" target="_blank">Tele-Viper</a> and his camera/gun.</p><p>And, that's about the end of the use for this figure. But, like the figure's Star Wars cousins, the appeal lies not in the quality of the actual toy and it's playability, but the possibility of filling a very niche purpose. In the right setting, this figure can look great. Some Star Wars collectors have built amazing displays using the holographic figures. But, you don't really see these set pieces in the Joe world. Joe fans will display their figures standing on parade. Or, maybe, on vehicles or in the few bases. You don't see too many custom scenes that are built, specifically, to showcase a small selection of figures. It's just a difference in the collector base. And, is why there wasn't a huge upswell of support for more translucent Joe figures.</p><p>Originally, the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Comic%20Pack" target="_blank">Comic Packs</a> were going to continue their numerical procession. And, this Comic Pack #9 was planned for a much earlier release date. But, the Comic Packs were kind of DOA by the end of 2004. The <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Oktober%20Guard" target="_blank">Oktober Guard</a> packs were under-produced. And, Hasbro had to quickly retool and move up some more interesting packs in the release schedule. While these diversified the figure releases, they didn't really help improve the lot of the Comic Packs at retail and all of the non-October Guard waves were pretty much clearance and discount store fodder. For a while, it appeared that the pack with this Cobra Commander, <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Scarlett" target="_blank">Scarlett</a> on her skis and a lame attempt at "<a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Breaker" target="_blank">Breaker</a>" would end up cancelled. But, Hasbro was able to pigeon-hole it into the initial waves of the DTC launch after the Joe line failed at retail in 2005. </p><p>Collectors were lukewarm to this pack, though. The contemporary packs to #9 featured some less used molds and had more potential for great figures. But, none of the releases actually caught on with collectors. And, instead, they all ended up clearance fodder, too. I only acquired this pack because they were half price or less at the old Hasbro Toy Shop. The Breaker in the set was useless. Though, the Scarlett actually turned out kind of nice. Sadly, though, she badly discolors and is near impossible to find in decent condition these days. I kept the Cobra Commander because he was unsellable in 2010 or so. No one wanted him. So, he remained in my collection even as his contemporaries were dumped for pennies on the dollar. Now, though, I'm glad I held onto the figure: if for nothing more than a conversation piece.</p><p>Did you know that even translucent plastic can discolor? Well, it can. And, you'll often find this figure with darker upper arms than lower. The upper arms of the 2000's figures are always the first to go. So, it's likely that other parts of this figure will discolor, too. And, it's pretty much guaranteed that no mint versions of this figure will exist in another two decades. The darkening isn't really detrimental to the appeal of this figure. The main issue is that the figures don't discolor uniformly. So, you get two tone figures that don't look all that good. Once all the pieces go, though, it will be back to a solid looking figure. The soft plastic that Hasbro uses in the 2000's doesn't hold up all that well. And, it likely that vintage figures will hold up better into the 2040's and 2050's than these newer figures from the same century.</p><p>The original body mold for this Cobra Commander debuted in <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1992" target="_blank">1992</a> on the Talking Battle Commanders Cobra Commander figure. In <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1993" target="_blank">1993</a>, the figure was repainted in black and also given a new back piece that wasn't the flat version used to accommodate the talking backpack. In <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2000" target="_blank">2000</a>, the figure was repainted in dark blue. But, the flat back from 1992, somehow, returned. The same mold was used in the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2003" target="_blank">2003</a> convention set. In 2004, Hasbro sculpted the new head sculpt that you see on this clear figure. It debuted in a Comic Pack and was then repainted in a coppery red color in the Imperial Processional set. Then, finally, this translucent figure appeared. The flat back ruins many of the figure. Though, the 2003 and Processional figures were aided by the inclusion of capes that hide the multi-holed backpiece. I don't really consider the new head to be an improvement or a detriment when compared to the original head. It's just different. But, I do think that it looks the best on this translucent release.</p><p>For some, unknown, reason, Hasbro also updated this figure to have 1984 <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Roadblock" target="_blank">Roadblock</a> arms. 2000's era Hasbro loved the 1984 Roadblock arms and used them way too often. They are scrawny and undefined. And, when paired with a rather bulky mold that debuted in 1992, they look out of place. Just months before this Comic Pack figure was released, Hasbro used the original arms on the Imperial Processional figure. So, there was no real reason why they couldn't also have been used for this Cobra Commander. It's less of an issue since this figure has such a limited purpose. But, it's just one of those weird choices that Hasbro made in the early 2000's. And, we really don't know why.</p><p>This Cobra Commander includes his classic <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1983" target="_blank">1983</a> hair dryer pistol. While it's not a great fit with the bulkier mold from 1992, it is iconic to Cobra Commander. But, in another baffling move, the weapon is cast in black plastic. So, you have a translucent figure holding an opaque weapon. You just can't reconcile that. The upside is that black hair dryers were never all that common. So, extras were always welcome...especially since the Processional Cobra Commander didn't come with a weapon. It would have been nice to have gotten the classic weapon in translucent blue plastic. But, it doesn't make much sense for a projection to be holding a gun. A staff or pointer? Sure. But, the gun isn't necessary. So, it's one of the weird inclusions that's useful to have around, even if it's useless with the actual figure for which it's intended.</p><p>This figure has turned out to be kind of hard to find. It wasn't a pack that collectors army built. And, it was released during one of the lowest points in Joe fandom. Today, this is a $22 to $30 figure based on timing and the number in the market. Dealers tend to get closer to $30. But, the figure has cachet and sells for a slight premium just due to the uniqueness of the design. It's certainly not a figure that you need in your collection. But, it is a neat set piece that can help define a display. I, certainly, wouldn't pay a premium for one, especially with the spectre of discoloration looming so large in the figure's future. But, for a cheap buy, the figure is worth owning. I've used mine three times in almost 20 years. But, I paid, maybe, $3 for him. So, the price was worth it. I'll leave it to you to determine if today's market also makes him a worthwhile acquisition.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstkKZ30XihftwtUdpr6o4TOcIaABDgeyY65kjErXJsRzeWApfd66qYNJkQmP9Dkcj7B54cu3x0lsSMFloXRpsYXyc6DARBNflb5EWW9ZaRpZnAHzOuxKyKERzt0VPn7LghRz7HnvtaMPf-wrvwedHHNIqmDX1qqIcnD3CjC9A3uG_ua7UAcBWku8Y2Q/s1569/05clearcobracommander10.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2005 Clear Cobra Commander, Translucent, Comic Pack, 1985 Tele Viper, Crimson Guard, 2004, Operation Crimson Sabotage, Hiss Tank, Fred" border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1569" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstkKZ30XihftwtUdpr6o4TOcIaABDgeyY65kjErXJsRzeWApfd66qYNJkQmP9Dkcj7B54cu3x0lsSMFloXRpsYXyc6DARBNflb5EWW9ZaRpZnAHzOuxKyKERzt0VPn7LghRz7HnvtaMPf-wrvwedHHNIqmDX1qqIcnD3CjC9A3uG_ua7UAcBWku8Y2Q/w640-h396/05clearcobracommander10.JPG" title="2005 Clear Cobra Commander, Translucent, Comic Pack, 1985 Tele Viper, Crimson Guard, 2004, Operation Crimson Sabotage, Hiss Tank, Fred" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jyRNbJhkhyjl5XWLA_RJvN2faBd9he1vP1um3S3yzlphtEQV7b6v5q_Asac01lD_EuMCwjFnQebF68MG-6tjKIL5mtgb3SC7217-zF0CCEKfCktNowupXxjE0D5qLXbaZfzPstjAO31IQLspIyWTavr_m9zOHM2oTLdkiAay2P8afgzVumuiCvJAN6Xa/s650/91psycheout03.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2005 Comic Pack Cobra Commander, 1991 Super Sonic Fighters Psyche Out, Comic Pack, Clear" border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="609" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jyRNbJhkhyjl5XWLA_RJvN2faBd9he1vP1um3S3yzlphtEQV7b6v5q_Asac01lD_EuMCwjFnQebF68MG-6tjKIL5mtgb3SC7217-zF0CCEKfCktNowupXxjE0D5qLXbaZfzPstjAO31IQLspIyWTavr_m9zOHM2oTLdkiAay2P8afgzVumuiCvJAN6Xa/w600-h640/91psycheout03.jpg" title="2005 Comic Pack Cobra Commander, 1991 Super Sonic Fighters Psyche Out, Comic Pack, Clear" width="600" /></a></div><br />Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-91031245247625979232024-02-17T00:02:00.023-07:002024-02-17T00:02:00.126-07:001990 Freefall - Random Photos of the Day<p>In a lot of ways, Freefall is a better skydiver than the 1984 Ripcord. In other ways, he's not. Nothing will ever beat Ripcord's original HALO rig. But Freefall makes a valiant attempt. Sans his parachuting gear, though, Freefall is the better figure. He has more accoutrements on his mold and just works better once he's on the ground. </p><p>It's somewhat baffling that Hasbro released a parachuting figure in the standard 1990 carded line and, then, released an entire series of 6 figures with working parachutes in the Sky Patrol subset. Joe got a lot of airborne troopers that year. But, Freefall is the best of them.</p><p>Originally, Freefall's face mask was going to have two air hoses attach to it: one on each side. This was changed late in the production process, though. And, it only exists in pre-production catalog photography. But, this is why Freefall's backpack has pegs for hoses to attach on both sides. Originally, both would have been used with a complete Freefall figure.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJZxCtY8Sc3zzC8I_HtwTjXPn741K6J-NtfhF4i6lz4PRHooy9tgPbz5EmPnveneyDeq1qBQyCl8yBvk808Epq7rfLBNFfupjHBx_n2wekxBdUvyG1ie3fA6GVtgFReRGJ3Zn4lfZWzYWeMO1xjzIrxaO8bAxBzwYEKN7tmq8FKE0mCA9MPpfhexH1Q/s968/90freefall100.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1990 Freefall, Sky Patrol, Drop Zone, Locust, Altitude" border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="876" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJZxCtY8Sc3zzC8I_HtwTjXPn741K6J-NtfhF4i6lz4PRHooy9tgPbz5EmPnveneyDeq1qBQyCl8yBvk808Epq7rfLBNFfupjHBx_n2wekxBdUvyG1ie3fA6GVtgFReRGJ3Zn4lfZWzYWeMO1xjzIrxaO8bAxBzwYEKN7tmq8FKE0mCA9MPpfhexH1Q/w580-h640/90freefall100.JPG" title="1990 Freefall, Sky Patrol, Drop Zone, Locust, Altitude" width="580" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9bzsLKIe1RcRYF_a1AD7BKQqZ3PMzxj6bhzESuq2A9i_0MWdplPQlNVLIPE41L9Ocx6R3bR4aQCeXfJW49wTYIC8s4os3ENvUNGwF1dQbJpo9uFa8n9ZuRCp2QdowEIlTH3OQCwqFwFMZZvdFrhe_nJ7-KOXavCTSn9J8qPXHWC7EYHvqUyZa-KR2Q/s1192/90freefall238.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1990 Freefall, Sky Patrol, Drop Zone, Locust, Altitude" border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1150" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9bzsLKIe1RcRYF_a1AD7BKQqZ3PMzxj6bhzESuq2A9i_0MWdplPQlNVLIPE41L9Ocx6R3bR4aQCeXfJW49wTYIC8s4os3ENvUNGwF1dQbJpo9uFa8n9ZuRCp2QdowEIlTH3OQCwqFwFMZZvdFrhe_nJ7-KOXavCTSn9J8qPXHWC7EYHvqUyZa-KR2Q/w618-h640/90freefall238.JPG" title="1990 Freefall, Sky Patrol, Drop Zone, Locust, Altitude" width="618" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHk_Ocxl6JfUKAL3BuLDV8BsLMGh4Fwg8nTSfAt1Tms8NB2vD69a7ebOvLT67okIhc906xkP7YIiBcq9dB0sjmFeO1dcA-1IZ29JJiMN2zOg29yXaBAFSVwLsaE7cu_XcVgJ5QkXyt1_9tU0Vg7POEr1tQh5rUF_w04kXkEB6m4xK6SAy2LnqL_gAkw/s1100/90freefall341.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1990 Freefall, Sky Patrol, Drop Zone, Locust" border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="996" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHk_Ocxl6JfUKAL3BuLDV8BsLMGh4Fwg8nTSfAt1Tms8NB2vD69a7ebOvLT67okIhc906xkP7YIiBcq9dB0sjmFeO1dcA-1IZ29JJiMN2zOg29yXaBAFSVwLsaE7cu_XcVgJ5QkXyt1_9tU0Vg7POEr1tQh5rUF_w04kXkEB6m4xK6SAy2LnqL_gAkw/w580-h640/90freefall341.JPG" title="1990 Freefall, Sky Patrol, Drop Zone, Locust" width="580" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlGTY8UbVkYTRig6Fxo9rEDicQWDzYXIZZs5xeaQ1bAFzU3oNbMeJ6P4jv2drC19_eBZBeAnPPGlWTQoEARX7jNoQimgEVftN2kYZXeX9V2UEcn4RUhZS3b183jwTLSZLuKOgpIyW67L1CtH1hhNrAtvRYMWHs0r36pug7PnuL74ovMPNqNk4eHgw4w/s566/90freefall675.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1990 Freefall," border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="528" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlGTY8UbVkYTRig6Fxo9rEDicQWDzYXIZZs5xeaQ1bAFzU3oNbMeJ6P4jv2drC19_eBZBeAnPPGlWTQoEARX7jNoQimgEVftN2kYZXeX9V2UEcn4RUhZS3b183jwTLSZLuKOgpIyW67L1CtH1hhNrAtvRYMWHs0r36pug7PnuL74ovMPNqNk4eHgw4w/w598-h640/90freefall675.JPG" title="1990 Freefall," width="598" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFRjr0wtrABvngxUEZbT9LCmrKrguT0ZY42raeQgV5IswnM9tpbnFSZURpbk1C5cKsiq22lJwsgDRzcisX4UNCQEF0RPZWUF1xKJQBaOp8nz_RFNAhIVcXZ4EjZtkKwoUPhTi2IPBkc9dZF3jCzW7RPcio5gGnHzhPHEhis4xXMZQgm5BW5dwniCQj3A/s1158/90freefall942.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1990 Freefall, 1993 Countdown, Star Brigade" border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="1158" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFRjr0wtrABvngxUEZbT9LCmrKrguT0ZY42raeQgV5IswnM9tpbnFSZURpbk1C5cKsiq22lJwsgDRzcisX4UNCQEF0RPZWUF1xKJQBaOp8nz_RFNAhIVcXZ4EjZtkKwoUPhTi2IPBkc9dZF3jCzW7RPcio5gGnHzhPHEhis4xXMZQgm5BW5dwniCQj3A/w640-h536/90freefall942.JPG" title="1990 Freefall, 1993 Countdown, Star Brigade" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-68977801679954748582024-02-09T23:46:00.018-07:002024-02-09T23:46:00.244-07:001992 Eel - Random Photos of the Day<p>The 1985 Eel is one of the most iconic army builders in the history of the Joe line. And, it just might be a perfect action figure. Which, pretty much guaranteed that any follow up to the Eel was going to be overly criticized and would never get a fair shake against the original. It is through that backdrop that the 1992 Eel was always viewed. Which, never allowed the 1992 figure to really be viewed on its own merits. Really, the Hydro Viper and Undertow were both pale imitations of the 1985 Eel. But, by virtue of not sharing a name, they have never been as harshly judged.</p><p>The 1992 Eel figure can stand on it's own. The design is sleeker and more self contained that the 1985. The colors pop, but also work in water. And, the figure includes the robo-shark. If you can't get behind that, I'm not sure I can ever help you. But, sharing the Eel name has forever doomed this figure to second status in the collecting world. </p><p>Through that malaise, though, comes opportunity. And, over the years, I've been able to acquire a decent army of the 1992 Eels for very cheap prices. As people don't really care for them, they can be had for a pittance. And, even with the low production runs of the 1992 single carded figures in general, the Eels are attainable and even amassable.</p><p>If you don't have the figure, you owe it to yourself to get one. And, if you have the figure, you should get more...especially if you have a Bugg as the Eel is a near perfect match for it. So, enjoy the photos below and let me know about your best work featuring this figure.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFn9mFhkw19bCtkZRPMYbHeo3ux1EB8S2ulV6I1c43S_dBvp4a1ujqh4QpTvJa4bZI7UAFY-4HXE3i6nuROSiee4Bo1Dp9OgXx5_9gP-Rd67NKI9wFCYElq6-Talg1tu0TJbn9hNMyvx1oVM3Z1tqb-ynB4GOIMf3IYJqn8D3sBfyXiyTxPjW9yI2Nrw/s1516/92eel121.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1992 Eel, 1988 BUGG" border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1516" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFn9mFhkw19bCtkZRPMYbHeo3ux1EB8S2ulV6I1c43S_dBvp4a1ujqh4QpTvJa4bZI7UAFY-4HXE3i6nuROSiee4Bo1Dp9OgXx5_9gP-Rd67NKI9wFCYElq6-Talg1tu0TJbn9hNMyvx1oVM3Z1tqb-ynB4GOIMf3IYJqn8D3sBfyXiyTxPjW9yI2Nrw/w640-h508/92eel121.jpg" title="1992 Eel, 1988 BUGG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WXDWnJxudN6Svho8ZweybN0l7Qtkr8xQek6qt-Ox-GVDqB3o_8WiUJgo28jYw7gIqENrP3XLNuYgBJL2pICvEB8T7xWg_1HTcKxZX416yG8QIi1Pp34jog9Wgq4MyyBwlksmqRD64T70KzX-88hoSYfVbg7GNM2Mtk9JtxiVwEulpyaNQJNkGA7owA/s1045/92eel852.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1992 Eel, Cobra Eels" border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1045" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WXDWnJxudN6Svho8ZweybN0l7Qtkr8xQek6qt-Ox-GVDqB3o_8WiUJgo28jYw7gIqENrP3XLNuYgBJL2pICvEB8T7xWg_1HTcKxZX416yG8QIi1Pp34jog9Wgq4MyyBwlksmqRD64T70KzX-88hoSYfVbg7GNM2Mtk9JtxiVwEulpyaNQJNkGA7owA/w640-h608/92eel852.JPG" title="1992 Eel, Cobra Eels" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiO6S_U6eH7R6g5knSdsoHgSePbRIOJ-pD9qvf3gcu37x40R0xUvzhVHMtXhJTWYPcEydoXROnOMktpdI6NeVCvVyhPiFiuy-Ql8sr8W0lsNfMC-N_8_Ld-FYHokCV1WQPjSXRaxaSXQRJ/s1322/92eel85.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1992 Eels, 1994 M Bison" border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1322" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiO6S_U6eH7R6g5knSdsoHgSePbRIOJ-pD9qvf3gcu37x40R0xUvzhVHMtXhJTWYPcEydoXROnOMktpdI6NeVCvVyhPiFiuy-Ql8sr8W0lsNfMC-N_8_Ld-FYHokCV1WQPjSXRaxaSXQRJ/w640-h512/92eel85.JPG" title="1992 Eels, 1994 M Bison" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-84666247163268856792024-02-05T23:31:00.000-07:002024-02-05T23:31:00.130-07:001993 Firefly - Around The Web<div>So, remember last week, when I said "maybe"? Yeah, maybe a new profile turned into more Around the Web content. I've got a ton of profiles that are like 70% done. I need a few photos and to finish some writing. But, weather's been shitty and I've just not been home during daylight hours. So, I just haven't completed any of them. Part of it is just malaise. I can't get motivated to wrap up some of the thoughts. And, frankly, instead of taking quiet time to finish a profile at the end of the day, I've been watching TV. That laziness isn't great. But, mentally, it's where I am right now until the weather improves. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, instead, enjoy some content featuring the 1993 Firefly figure. Yeah, this isn't the classic 1984 version. But, the mold is strong in its own right. And, the neon green set against the black highlights make for a visually appealing toy. I was lucky to find this guy at retail back in the '90's. It was from him that I first realized that there were many repaints among the 1993 releases and it was worth it to check characters that I already had since any new find might be a repaint that would be new to my collection.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's a shame this mold didn't get a repaint in the 2000's. Hasbro likely had the mold and we got the 1984 Firefly mold in like 10 different paint jobs. So, just seeing one version of the character in his later garb would have been a refreshing change. </div><br /><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2016/07/1993-firefly.html" target="_blank">1993 Firefly Profile - 2016</a><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2000/04/1993-firefly.html" target="_blank">1993 Firefly Profile - 2000</a><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2016/10/diorama-firefly-in-woods.html" target="_blank">1993 Firefly in the Woods</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-PMEBng0_A/">1993 Firefly by atticagazette</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbz237QLTkJ/" target="_blank">1993 Firefly by gen_liederkranz</a><br />
<br /><a href="https://www.joeaday.com/firefly-1993/">1993 Firefly at JoeADay.com</a><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=39724" target="_blank">1993 Firefly by Pit Viper V2</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ1gEj4pj6K/" target="_blank">1993 Firefly by ronnie_trickshot</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFuZZrd6uo0" target="_blank">1993 Firefly by HCC788</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://twitter.com/gliederkranz/status/1517503752999120896" target="_blank">1993 Firefly by gen_liederkranz</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjj4tImPAuijS4Ykr3yTXrs-J1io_yO8MpOTM0a09w2jQj55YikR-3ZnmQl1wZPOcNhb7q7n2mZNZrgQ5n0l1xNgMxs0No7T6lFXUuyWRVtgPM2bntXh2HD1MfNEzs0oahiTmG8lf2Q502ut9-sXN1XhKmZAKAxopqcdROG-ml6dnI5wUB4cnWIaQNeEg=s1465" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Firefly, Battle Corps, Flak Viper, Detonator, 2005 HAS Snake eyes, Toys R Us Exclusive" border="0" data-original-height="1153" data-original-width="1465" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjj4tImPAuijS4Ykr3yTXrs-J1io_yO8MpOTM0a09w2jQj55YikR-3ZnmQl1wZPOcNhb7q7n2mZNZrgQ5n0l1xNgMxs0No7T6lFXUuyWRVtgPM2bntXh2HD1MfNEzs0oahiTmG8lf2Q502ut9-sXN1XhKmZAKAxopqcdROG-ml6dnI5wUB4cnWIaQNeEg=w640-h504" title="1993 Firefly, Battle Corps, Flak Viper, Detonator, 2005 HAS Snake eyes, Toys R Us Exclusive" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdlECi9XcOhQOqiuj111hNXY6Y1MMbhK478A3QiOe9GdAw6z8oeZ5s_GQm_19wUOxbB8H7slT6IhPuIwFY8PjWXcOjy4hRDJKK7_wMjt-7hvDN9z_0qn5HSHP-ByR1sv6fzhZAYjivjvgyuiAYQ2UkogbiDYCU2GXf83Nb0mHQLazPdnMxsFWJmE7_Pw/s1184/93firefly843.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Firefly, Battle Corps, Flak Viper, Detonator" border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1184" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdlECi9XcOhQOqiuj111hNXY6Y1MMbhK478A3QiOe9GdAw6z8oeZ5s_GQm_19wUOxbB8H7slT6IhPuIwFY8PjWXcOjy4hRDJKK7_wMjt-7hvDN9z_0qn5HSHP-ByR1sv6fzhZAYjivjvgyuiAYQ2UkogbiDYCU2GXf83Nb0mHQLazPdnMxsFWJmE7_Pw/w640-h612/93firefly843.JPG" title="1993 Firefly, Battle Corps, Flak Viper, Detonator" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br />
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JvTNEWC39ZEARdC8P55oL5PlonNtUlwHyxjV_deW1QbZFh1QSOqf9I7qqCv-9clomlJOj6NJ-6FggZwmK0VwenDouVeiVwW_coEvtC3kAQu2Nkd6fnrILnCRhs_2I-8KLyAY_25mrRRg/s1277/92firefly199.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Firefly, X-Ray Eye, Power Commandos, Lucky Bell, 1992" border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1277" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JvTNEWC39ZEARdC8P55oL5PlonNtUlwHyxjV_deW1QbZFh1QSOqf9I7qqCv-9clomlJOj6NJ-6FggZwmK0VwenDouVeiVwW_coEvtC3kAQu2Nkd6fnrILnCRhs_2I-8KLyAY_25mrRRg/w640-h468/92firefly199.JPG" title="1993 Firefly, X-Ray Eye, Power Commandos, Lucky Bell, 1992" width="640" /></a></div></div></div></div></div>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-82273849340989321222024-02-02T23:10:00.009-07:002024-02-02T23:10:00.141-07:001992 Dice - Random Photos of the Day<p>Dice is a good figure. So is Slice. And, when posed together, they are a visual treat. I haven't used Ninja Force figures for too many photo shoots. But, I do tend to like the results when I manage to get them out. </p><p>Below are some random photos of the 1992 Dice. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8AmHQIU4dMG2djLm9TONl9gW2LzAMnRdNt2L2QxPZDtfoYXScgA9vekojnY9PFUyNl-_CePOj9fUQIVGd9L7xj8S-INWanPWjcO4HCSu1INHctWA7DHX2UqDQRvrK1jiYZqK6t86pVqgYf_vta8rBXc632SSbvcPDBj9EpA5E1zwRMRKFOQ8mOit2w/s1150/92dice58.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1992 Dice, 1993 Slice, Night Creeper, Ninja Force, Parasite" border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1150" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8AmHQIU4dMG2djLm9TONl9gW2LzAMnRdNt2L2QxPZDtfoYXScgA9vekojnY9PFUyNl-_CePOj9fUQIVGd9L7xj8S-INWanPWjcO4HCSu1INHctWA7DHX2UqDQRvrK1jiYZqK6t86pVqgYf_vta8rBXc632SSbvcPDBj9EpA5E1zwRMRKFOQ8mOit2w/w640-h612/92dice58.JPG" title="1992 Dice, 1993 Slice, Night Creeper, Ninja Force, Parasite" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cMRkbilpOnoPdXSgLqk-okR8Z8U1BSjAIlFBLQtIiCd3xJEvGr99YaFaBnpJ4D1Vqv-09jYgUoovTr5A0xpLvUZb__-WzbgGKGOUoBRVtygsXC8ovx-QJGvgyL2u1uWJJlFbVo9XPxuSY6otqP6Z7IqR4e_wVWzXh-a3TjM410rB0eO7femrW9z4oA/s1348/92dice12.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1992 Dice, Ninja Force, Toxo Zombie, Eco Warriors" border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1348" height="588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cMRkbilpOnoPdXSgLqk-okR8Z8U1BSjAIlFBLQtIiCd3xJEvGr99YaFaBnpJ4D1Vqv-09jYgUoovTr5A0xpLvUZb__-WzbgGKGOUoBRVtygsXC8ovx-QJGvgyL2u1uWJJlFbVo9XPxuSY6otqP6Z7IqR4e_wVWzXh-a3TjM410rB0eO7femrW9z4oA/w640-h588/92dice12.JPG" title="1992 Dice, Ninja Force, Toxo Zombie, Eco Warriors" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHNL16TGlh7ts20PZP22YwndSwMfj2ARmjE_ErUIvVTdnMKSbCq-_5UC8vev6q52SNLrAqCfPNf7pe1TVdQ-OIafXgll8LYGMd6M4Dou7CcOuieh9eP8_fFKEjdXm_pc1WoF0rWSo7_r8YTEV3k0c8dYC4fjt4DfnaLR0Uo_OSRQ_lCjkJTRylOXeXA/s1063/92dice48.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1992 Dice, Ninja Force, Toxo Zombie, Eco Warriors" border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="1063" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHNL16TGlh7ts20PZP22YwndSwMfj2ARmjE_ErUIvVTdnMKSbCq-_5UC8vev6q52SNLrAqCfPNf7pe1TVdQ-OIafXgll8LYGMd6M4Dou7CcOuieh9eP8_fFKEjdXm_pc1WoF0rWSo7_r8YTEV3k0c8dYC4fjt4DfnaLR0Uo_OSRQ_lCjkJTRylOXeXA/w640-h506/92dice48.JPG" title="1992 Dice, Ninja Force, Toxo Zombie, Eco Warriors" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-86864953215708315492024-01-29T23:30:00.001-07:002024-01-29T23:30:00.138-07:001987 Psyche Out - Around The Web<p>The weather's been crappy and I've been busy with real life things, lately. So, I had no profile to go today. (I've got a really cool figure that I had to pull down because her write up wasn't where I wanted it to be. She might come next week. Or, the week after that. Will depend upon my mood since the profile planned for the 6th of Feb. is mostly a thinly veiled rant that will further cement my status as a curmudgeon.) I really didn't have anything ready to go for today. So, I did some quick looking and found some surprisingly easy to find content on the 1987 Psyche Out.</p><p>Psyche Out isn't a popular figure or character. The fact that both his Night Force and Tiger Force variants sell for a fraction of the other figures in the series speak to just how unpopular he really is. But, this 1987 figure is a visual treat. The bright colors work in the context of the character. And, his ridiculous gear can be held in suspension of disbelief due to the overall background that was given to him.</p><p>So, take some time and peruse the links below. Leave them a comment or something just to pull the older items back into the creators' timelines. Back to normal next week...maybe.</p><p><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2017/01/1987-psyche-out.html" target="_blank">1987 Psyche Out Profile</a></p><p><a href="http://viperpit.xyz/2023/08/21/1987-psyche-out/" target="_blank">1987 Psyche Out at Nekoman's Viper Pit</a></p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/MrMikeVInThePit/status/1516123918230302731" target="_blank">1987 Psyche Out by MrMikeVinthePit</a></p><p><a href="http://www.joeaday.com/psyche-out-1987/" target="_blank">1987 Psyche Out at JoeADay.com</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdJrz4yuzFk/" target="_blank">1987 Psyche Out by yovalleyjoe</a></p><p><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=53617" target="_blank">1987 Psyche Out Variants by Hit and Run</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfi8vJcUwLs" target="_blank">1987 Psyche Out by HCC788</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BybW-kpAULw/" target="_blank">1987 Psyche Out by gi_jokers</a></p><p><a href="https://serpentorslair.com/g-i-joe-underappreciated-featuring-psyche-out/" target="_blank">1987 Psyche Out at Serpentor's Lair</a></p><p><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=54780" target="_blank">1987 Psyche Out by Flint</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2SI72GANnQ/" target="_blank">1987 Psyche Out by fun_time_at_serpentorslair</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6zoi5tiqUAZgSF3oVlrtQxs0GpTnR1-TQQsbK3A8pEGly8ODIyUAo9agEiizpwj18JAZR-hROkkAnY6LlC37xsRf6SRKRnovuDOxm6QLI5I4-bJYZfc5ghAqXTbiTbQOhB1Tdf33HLEdX2dAB6p-vUxaJVTX-OQrnf4GmRlkynCJhkDNB3-lUiCiNA/s1094/87psycheout33.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1987 Psyche Out, Tunnel Rat, 1988 Swampmasher" border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1082" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6zoi5tiqUAZgSF3oVlrtQxs0GpTnR1-TQQsbK3A8pEGly8ODIyUAo9agEiizpwj18JAZR-hROkkAnY6LlC37xsRf6SRKRnovuDOxm6QLI5I4-bJYZfc5ghAqXTbiTbQOhB1Tdf33HLEdX2dAB6p-vUxaJVTX-OQrnf4GmRlkynCJhkDNB3-lUiCiNA/w632-h640/87psycheout33.JPG" title="1987 Psyche Out, Tunnel Rat, 1988 Swampmasher" width="632" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-70131583977235232382024-01-26T22:50:00.009-07:002024-01-26T22:50:00.126-07:002005 Comic Pack Flint - Around The WebThe 1985 Flint is my favorite figure. In 2005, Hasbro released a Comic Pack version that was similar to the original figure. It featured softer colors, poor accessories and a brand new head. The new head, though, was not good. On some level, it seemed like a younger version of Flint. But, really, it's inferior to the original head in every way. (And, I'm not blinded to the fact that the 1985 Flint head has some...flaws.) Mostly, the head was famous for not being Falcon.<div><br /></div><div>Now, nearly as much time has passed since the 2005 figure was released as had passed between the 1985 version and the 2005 Comic Pack release. Unsurprisingly, the 2005 Flint has not held up. You can tell from the relatively sparse content featuring the figure that he's not that popular. You can't even catalog all the photos that feature the 1985 Flint. And, collectors use the original as their go to choice for photographs even today. It's just such a better option and is a nearly ubiquitous member of pretty much every Joe collection that's out there.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is interesting to read up on contemporary reviews of the figures that were written right after their release. The sentiment on this Flint was tepid, even back then. And, that's translated into a figure that's simply faded into obscurity. It's probably a just fate for this figure. The 1985 figure is vastly superior. And, the Funskool version of Flint remains a cheaper option for the V1 Flint look and it includes the trademark shotgun. So, enjoy what little content there is on this figure out there.<br />
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<a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2016/03/2005-comic-pack-flint.html">2005 Flint Profile</a><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChZbZbuupdn/?hl=en" target="_blank">2005 Flint by Sintechness</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.joebattlelines.com/reviews/toys/comicpacks/comicpack76.htm" target="_blank">Comic Pack #76 at JoeBattleLines.com</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B1QJQaVh5Tc/" target="_blank">2005 Flint by toyjaeger</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwB2uAvriIZ/?hl=en" target="_blank">2005 Flint by gen_liederkranz</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.generalsjoesreborn.com/reviews/2005/comicpacks/comicpack76.html" target="_blank">Comic Pack #76 Review at Generals Joes Reborn</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=55934" target="_blank">2005 Flint by Slipstream80</a><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtTFct5Fcq24DmLMMFC14PT4UQCaKisHt_18XgSfE4XTCIymh2wcIP8NACpDCus2HEzEJ_A818NxJxArGCzlwkyNcd8zCC2Qt0srEadwEzbdm4Hl8FBjIhrJM1j1xpOsQjWUvgQL9EGwRxxti5_NNq8Oa1hRDghSCF2FX9M46W-_FxFfjyPuuheUY3rg/s1206/05flint831.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2005 Sgt. Misha, 1988 Mean Dog, Oktober Guard, Comic Packs, DTC, HAS Roadblock, Toys R Us Exclusive, Flint" border="0" data-original-height="1206" data-original-width="928" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtTFct5Fcq24DmLMMFC14PT4UQCaKisHt_18XgSfE4XTCIymh2wcIP8NACpDCus2HEzEJ_A818NxJxArGCzlwkyNcd8zCC2Qt0srEadwEzbdm4Hl8FBjIhrJM1j1xpOsQjWUvgQL9EGwRxxti5_NNq8Oa1hRDghSCF2FX9M46W-_FxFfjyPuuheUY3rg/w492-h640/05flint831.JPG" title="2005 Sgt. Misha, 1988 Mean Dog, Oktober Guard, Comic Packs, DTC, HAS Roadblock, Toys R Us Exclusive, Flint" width="492" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAfOsaMU_1HfGhEI1yVdn67Ax9Ys7xQbqlwwzIPJkxMX_f9osTNa3PWkReadzjJDib5YAWwZW_qDmrKmgrQZIRqIrnzxZT3OWulpuHh4QCPo5XQU7cnoqtpFaKrxYnzDHP8HJBaRIhVig/s1298/05flint48.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2005 Comic Pack Flint, DTC, Comic Pack #76, Black Major Blue Cobra Eel" border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="1298" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAfOsaMU_1HfGhEI1yVdn67Ax9Ys7xQbqlwwzIPJkxMX_f9osTNa3PWkReadzjJDib5YAWwZW_qDmrKmgrQZIRqIrnzxZT3OWulpuHh4QCPo5XQU7cnoqtpFaKrxYnzDHP8HJBaRIhVig/w640-h594/05flint48.JPG" title="2005 Comic Pack Flint, DTC, Comic Pack #76, Black Major Blue Cobra Eel" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOtmquphi3vc3k0RkTzWeDLu1r08NoaYzomIpcU6Q32S_8VMVgF6EibAQDeyd5e4jw4vU92nJq0jzHayvqljgwsZDlft5wb3ZnvZUIOLlPVsXJrWEfH4ve6eCZnA5uKutH30gu_hvRmKa/s1600/05flint84.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2005 Comic Pack Flint, TRU Exclusive, DTC" border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="669" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOtmquphi3vc3k0RkTzWeDLu1r08NoaYzomIpcU6Q32S_8VMVgF6EibAQDeyd5e4jw4vU92nJq0jzHayvqljgwsZDlft5wb3ZnvZUIOLlPVsXJrWEfH4ve6eCZnA5uKutH30gu_hvRmKa/s640/05flint84.JPG" title="2005 Comic Pack Flint, TRU Exclusive, DTC" width="502" /></a></div>
<br /></div></div></div></div>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-14557806702967459652024-01-22T23:32:00.036-07:002024-01-22T23:32:00.243-07:001993 Wet Suit<p>There were a few 1993 figures that I never found at retail. Mostly, they were Cobra army builders. But, a few other subsets were notable for their retail scarcity, too. I found none of the 1993 repaints of 1992 figures at retail. Even now, 31 years later, the 1992 repaints released in 1993 do not appear with the same frequency as the new figures released that year. Ostensibly, this seems normal as the repaints could be profitable with fewer units made. But, it created a consternation for my young self as I vainly searched for figures that I simply could no longer find.</p><p>This Wet Suit wasn't one of my most wanted figures that haunted me from the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1992" target="_blank">1992</a> and 1993 cardbacks that I kept from my sparse retail purchases. It was the missing Cobras that most interested me. And, figures like <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Barricade" target="_blank">Barricade</a> captured my attention. Wet Suit looked interesting. However, by that time, I had found the <a href="http://forgotten--.blogspot.com/search/label/Shipwreck" target="_blank">1994 Shipwreck</a> figure. That figure sated any desires for diver figures since he was perfect. So, I didn't have the burning desire to find this Wet Suit like I did for guys like the <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2018/03/1993-flak-viper.html" target="_blank">Flak Viper</a> or <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2016/11/1993-cobra-commander.html" target="_blank">Cobra Commander</a>.</p><p>But, my first real foray into buying collections was heavily focused on figures from the 1990's. As I acquired a few of them, this Wet Suit made his way into my collection. Once in hand, I found the removable helmet to be exactly the type of thing I'd have loved as a kid. But, I was more enamored with the multitudes of other figures in the various lots. So, this Wet Suit was relegated to his drawer. By the time I had a swimming pool in which to photograph figures, the 1998 repaint of this mold had come out and it found itself manning the turrets of the Whale on its maiden voyage. In fact, this figure never got a photo in the early days of my collecting adventure. </p><p>Which isn't to say that he's a bad figure. Quite the opposite. The wetsuit that Wet Suit wears is nicely detailed. He features an array of dials and instruments on his chest. And, there's even a sculpted hose to denote that the figure does have an underwater air supply available to him. The figure's helmet is well done. But, like the figure itself, it does suffer from lack of color. The orange works great. But, having some other colors to denote the light and slits on the mask would have made a world of difference. The head that is underneath the helmet is a weird combo of nice sculpting and odd design choices. Wet Suit looks like he has a mullet. And, being a 1992 sculpt, it wouldn't be an ironic mullet. But, aside from that, the face is nicely done and the head fits underneath the helmet nicely without too much concern for paint wear.</p><p>Wet Suit features some solid gear that is both new and an homage to his original <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1986" target="_blank">1986</a> gear. First, he includes an orange helmet. It fits tightly. That makes it work very well, though. His orange rifle is large. It works well with the figure and does fit with his aesthetic. The rifle was going to be included with the unproduced <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Dr.%20Mindbender" target="_blank">1995 Dr. Mindbender</a>. And, there's a blue release that I still can't place. The centerpiece of Wet Suit's gear is his underwater sled. In 1986, Wet Suit included a small, hand held sled type thing. So, getting one that the figure could ride is much more useful. You'll probably snap the figure's thumbs trying to affix both hands. But, its still a neat piece of gear. The three missiles on it also give Wet Suit far more firepower. He ends with the orange flippers. The only thing that you could want would be some air tanks. But, that might make the whole package for the figure too bulky.</p><p>Some times, less is more. With this Wet Suit, there are just two colors on the body: the black base plastic and the orange painted details. The paint masks are the same as the yellow figure from 1992. But, there are no painted details or accents in any color other than black and orange. Normally, this would be a detriment. But, on a diver wearing a wetsuit, they work. The simplicity of the figure makes him pop. You don't really notice the lack of secondary colors. The 1998 figure did prove that the mold could be made spectacular with more paint details. But, this 1993 coloring remains strong and is a pretty perfect look for a diver. (In fact, Hasbro recycled the colors on the 30th Anniversary <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Action%20Sailor" target="_blank">Action Sailor</a> figure just a year later.)</p><p>This Wet Suit mold was used almost too many times. There is the yellow version from 1992. Then, this orange version was released. Hasbro then used the body for the Navy Seal <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Guile" target="_blank">Guile</a> in the Street Fighter Movie figure line. There are two variations of this figure, too. In 1998, Hasbro repainted the mold in black, grey and aqua blue. It's my personal favorite coloring of the mold. That was 5 uses in 6 years. But, then, the mold disappeared aside from a use of the head on the 2004 Wet Suit figure that came with the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/VAMP" target="_blank">VAMP</a>. The 1986 Wetsuit mold, the 1994 Shipwreck mold and the 1983 Torpedo mold became Hasbro's go to for Joe diver figures. This probably isn't bad, though. Hasbro got a lot of life out of the mold. And, you'd have to go with something really specific (like a white, arctic diver motif) to extract much more collector value from the colorings. </p><p>During the pandemic fueled market mania of 2020 and 2021, this figure got expensive. Now, you'll find dealers offering mint and complete figures anywhere from $15 to $30. You'll see some sell in the $22 range. But, left to the open market, this Wet Suit still seems to command $15. So, if you find one from a dealer for that price, it's not terrible. But, this Wet Suit is also the type of figure whose floor is lower than the current pricing should you want to wait out the free fall. I find the orange and black to be superior to the yellow and black. But, that's likely just personal preference and others will have their favorites reversed. Regardless, this figure is a worthwhile pickup just because he's fun to have around.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOPQiJXRfuBO8FFqrV_fwlZi4NaE2jSIJNpKyUO2h3D24gF5omxJP4JXg3veQ8ymvzCf0SHdIs-gFMYkw6iKdNwMz3yquvvHbi0DctsS9eAZGX6V00dh2GaItyKxq-1NV4DIcHkGElSYh/s1443/93wetsuit01.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Wet-Suit, Battle Corps, DEF, Law" border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1443" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOPQiJXRfuBO8FFqrV_fwlZi4NaE2jSIJNpKyUO2h3D24gF5omxJP4JXg3veQ8ymvzCf0SHdIs-gFMYkw6iKdNwMz3yquvvHbi0DctsS9eAZGX6V00dh2GaItyKxq-1NV4DIcHkGElSYh/w640-h480/93wetsuit01.JPG" title="1993 Wet-Suit, Battle Corps, DEF, Law" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-42587162359574703212024-01-19T23:08:00.009-07:002024-01-19T23:08:00.128-07:001993 Interrogator (Mail Away) - Around The WebThe mail away set with Interrogator and Major Altitude were quite common in the 1990's. There was tons of overstock in the community and they would sit, unsold, for under $15. Now, they are $300 for a set. And, you'll pay between $150 and $200 just for this neon yellow Interrogator. And, this is really too bad. This figure is a nice mesh of bright yellow and darker purple. There's not a ton of content on the figure out there. The high price kind of precludes lots of new acquisitions. And, once you get him, most people are loathe to take a $200 figure out into the snow and mud. But, there's still some good stuff out there. Whether you're frozen in all weekend like I am or not, take some time to peruse all the links below.<br />
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<a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2019/04/1993-interrogator-mail-away.html">1993 Interrogator Profile</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9-Kxu3gRLh/">1993 Interrogator by satanic_supremacy_87</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/qjy6WwJKBD/">1993 Interogator by toy_du_jour</a><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.joeaday.com/interrogator-1993/" target="_blank">1993 Interrogator at JoeADay.com</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_ncKyWgqna/">1993 Interrogator by the_crymzon_idol</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmzd3otvIGn/?hl=en" target="_blank">1993 Interrogator by gen_liederkranz</a><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CpLjSZ5ueyK/?hl=en" target="_blank">1993 Interrogator by JoeRizzo2025</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvnRv9usKpI/" target="_blank">1993 Interrogator by Relinquished1979</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NFTe486MnJ-H-3uAVwOhbeZO5eLBKnuHSpiuaOekjmtmts0W_q1-F7GBeSolIosdabNGmzbrUnSiR9UcT7qA4Zwp3jy1EUNF4_RQaasumfNbC806gKfZhv4U0mg4dLAKGJn40JFKgWkd/s1600/93interrogator102.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="796" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NFTe486MnJ-H-3uAVwOhbeZO5eLBKnuHSpiuaOekjmtmts0W_q1-F7GBeSolIosdabNGmzbrUnSiR9UcT7qA4Zwp3jy1EUNF4_RQaasumfNbC806gKfZhv4U0mg4dLAKGJn40JFKgWkd/s640/93interrogator102.JPG" width="542" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudoikdIv-NXTcs_GJwTwFYxZ0SIBIpHzVL5W1qX6wH-Sr1YqGReb-2nhWiYn-P3rYhOoDNo439pnr5yT-vMhcdUEUf42MBdt-ltCWdYGvxvEy5ysO9ZsjUSrHubv8rw_TgqgZif5BRutU/s1113/93interrogator48.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Mail Away Interrogator, Mega Marines Clutch, Eel, Muskrat, 1998 Shipwreck" border="0" data-original-height="1113" data-original-width="1093" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudoikdIv-NXTcs_GJwTwFYxZ0SIBIpHzVL5W1qX6wH-Sr1YqGReb-2nhWiYn-P3rYhOoDNo439pnr5yT-vMhcdUEUf42MBdt-ltCWdYGvxvEy5ysO9ZsjUSrHubv8rw_TgqgZif5BRutU/w628-h640/93interrogator48.JPG" title="1993 Mail Away Interrogator, Mega Marines Clutch, Eel, Muskrat, 1998 Shipwreck" width="628" /></a></div><br /></div></div>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-87266582417196264922024-01-16T00:23:00.100-07:002024-01-16T00:23:00.134-07:002004 Ninja Strike Stormshadow<p>When it comes to <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Stormshadow" target="_blank">Stormshadow</a>, Hasbro has always been a bit schizophrenic. They could never decide if he was a good guy or a bad guy. But, post <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1994" target="_blank">1994</a> and until the Anniversary series in <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2007" target="_blank">2007</a>, Hasbro seemed to land on Stormshadow being a Cobra. In short order, we saw his <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1984" target="_blank">1984</a> and <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1992" target="_blank">1992</a> molds both released as Cobras. At the time, though, the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1988" target="_blank">1988</a> mold, Stormshadow's first appearance as a good guy, was stuck in<a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Funskool" target="_blank"> India</a>. In April of 2003, though, Hasbro got the mold back. About 18 months later, the 1988 Stormshadow appeared in the 2004 Toys R Us exclusive <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Ninja%20Strike" target="_blank">Ninja Strike</a> set. This time, it was clearly released with the intent of Stormshadow being a Cobra. The sigil was right there on his chest. The look for Stormshadow was drastically different. And, because of that, it's held up a little better than most other figures released around his time.</p><p>It's very likely that Stormshadow's appearance as a Cobra during the 1997-2007 timeframe was simply fan service. Hasbro of that time believed that Joe fans were still almost exclusively guys who stopped collecting in <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1987" target="_blank">1987</a> or earlier and were far more interested in the Marvel Comic's Joe world than that of the cartoon. There was, of course, evidence to the contrary. But, Hasbro ignored that since the people who they most trusted to guide the brand were either people who were adults by the time it debuted in <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1982" target="_blank">1982</a> or were a small cadre of privileged collectors who fit the mold described above. </p><p>To be fair, this isn't an entirely bad thing. I've always found Stormshadow more interesting as a bad guy. Cobra needed a foil to <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Snake%20Eyes" target="_blank">Snake Eyes</a>. Someone who was capable of standing toe-to-toe with the Joe's most powerful member. With Stormshadow allied with Snake Eyes, the balance of power shifted too far to the Joe side. Cobra had no credible threat for them. As a bad guy, Stormshadow kept the conflict balanced. This, though, disrupted the solid connection and story between Snake Eyes and Stormshadow. But, that story could have been told without the redemption arc. In the end, Zartan did kill the Hard Master because he was emulating Snake Eyes. Stormshadow could have still not forgiven that and the story would have remained intact.</p><p>Hasbro of the repaint era, settled on Stormshadow being a Cobra and collectors were treated to him with this affiliation for nearly a decade. Stormshadow was released in 1997, <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2000" target="_blank">2000</a>, <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2002" target="_blank">2002</a> and mid 2004. Around the time that the Urban Assault Stormshadow was released in 2004, word broke that Hasbro would be releasing a set of Ninjas that would hit stores right before Christmas of that year. I seem to remember that an initial list of names appeared with the set when it appeared on Amazon. But, details like that are among the multitude of information about releases of that era that have been lost to time as message boards and fan sites have disappeared. But, the Ninja Strike set showed up in late 2004: replete with the newly acquired 1988 Stormshadow mold.</p><p>I was not a huge fan of the Ninja Strike set. I felt that the red and black ninjas were too derivative of the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Plastirama" target="_blank">Argentine</a> figures. And, the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Vypra" target="_blank">Vypras</a> used far too much of the set's budget for some lame paint masks. I had no need for this Stormshadow. But, 19 years later, this set has help up far better than most of the other Toys R Us exclusive 6-figure sets. And, this Stormshadow is a big reason why. The green color is extremely rare on Cobra figures. And, despite the fact that he's missing the trademarked Arashikage tattoo on his arm, the overall paint applications are fairly strong. The dirty brown wash that covers the figure is more natural looking than the paint wipes from 2000. And, it works to give the figure some depth without making him look shoddy. </p><p>This Stormshadow mold is excellently done. It's different than the more classic 1984 release. But, that's good. I loved the fact that this mold was simple, but extremely effective. The hood was a distinctive feature. But, the overall Gi conveys the purpose of the figure while being different from other martial arts figures that had been released prior to 1988. The main feature that interested me was the rope strung across the figure's chest. I loved ropes. And, I wished the 1988 Stormshadow had included a real rope. I viewed the claw as both a tool used for climbing rock walls and a weapon much like Wolverine's claws. I always imagined this Stormshadow scaling the crumbling walls of some long forgotten compound to infiltrate the hidden fortress.</p><p>And, it is in that context that I view this Stormshadow. I've always used the 1988 Stormshadow as a bad guy. It's just a leftover from Stormshadow debuting during my most formative years. Back in 1999, I gave my 1988 Stormshadow a cloak from an Episode I accessory pack and he's worn this Sith cloak as an indicator of his evil nature ever since. I have yet to move this robe to the 2004 figure. But, the coloring is such that I feel the obfuscating hue of the added accessory is unnecessary. This green base for Stormshadow works for my vision of this figure as an infiltrator. He dons this costume when it's time to break into some top secret installation as it provides visual cloaking and necessary equipment for such endeavors.</p><p>The accessories included with the Ninja Strike set were...just nonsense. First off, the set included three repaints of the 1984 Stormshadow mold. Yet, it did not include a single accessory from that mold. There were two 1987<a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Jinx" target="_blank"> Jinx</a> repaints in the set. Neither included any Jinx gear. And, the only accessory from the 1988 Stormshadow that was included with this Ninja Strike repaint was the claw. In addition, the figure included a <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Scarlett" target="_blank">Scarlett</a> crossbow, a <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Ninja%20Force" target="_blank">Ninja Force</a> sword and a black backpack that originated with the 1991<a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Dusty" target="_blank"> Dusty</a>. The 1988 Stormshadow backpack and sword not existing in any color other than red is a travesty. And, this set would have been a great way to include that gear in a more useful color. But, the end was coming and Hasbro had given up trying to make the Toys R Us 6 packs anything special. So, the set just got a hodge-podge of random weapons that were recently included with other, retail figures. </p><p>One big issue with this Stormshadow, though, is that his hands are rather small. I'm not sure why this is. The mold has fresh from India and the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Funskool" target="_blank">Funskool</a> Stormshadow has no such issues. It's possible that the thick, flesh colored paint uses up too much space. But, the reality is that it's tough to get this Stormshadow to hold any weapons. They'll often just pop out due to the small hand size. If you're just storing this guy in a clamshell in your closet, this isn't much of an issue. But, it's something to consider when you're looking to get a Stormshadow out for some photos. Other Ninja Strike figures have other, major quality issues. But, I've not heard of them being as rampant with this Stormshadow. But, in general, the 2000's Joes aren't aging all that gracefully. </p><p>The 1988 Stormshadow mold got good use. After its run with Hasbro, it was sent down to Brazil. There, Estrela released a figure that is nearly identical to the Hasbro figure. It includes the same colors and gear. It's not all that easy to find. But, collectors don't much care for it due to the similarity with the Hasbro figure. Post Brazil, the mold appeared in India. Again, Funskool didn't much alter the figure and they released a near identical Stormshadow for many, many years. You can find some variants among the Funskool figures with reversed tattoos and even missing camo. But, those are harder to come by. Upon the mold's return to Hasbro in <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2003" target="_blank">2003</a>, it was used two more times. The first for this figure in late 2004. And, the mold's final appearance came as the Red Ninja that was released in a Comic Pack in early <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2005" target="_blank">2005</a>. Of course, this mold has tons of potential and could have been repainted ad naseum. But, Hasbro didn't do that with the 1984 mold and they didn't do it with this 1988 mold, either. Maybe a factory custom maker will get to this mold someday. But, that's probably a pipe dream.</p><p>The 2004 Ninja Strike figures have gotten harder to find. Once upon a time, they were cheap and easy to find. But, all the Toys R Us figures have dried up. Dealers will try to get $30 to $50 for a mint, loose and complete version. But, those prices are dumb. On the open market today, this Stormshadow is, at best, a $15 figure with loose figures going as low as $5 each. So, there's no reason to pay a premium for this figure. Especially, since his accessories are generic and available with other, cheaper contemporary figures. Just wait until it comes up for sale at open market and save a ton of money. With interest in vintage Joes waning, you're likely to see a few more of these show up in coming years at very attractive prices.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwWGCTuvFFoWi_ktG6w0wNxsEqTEYO8fG-qarcLPRplpmJRM1knxOPAnyWoj_pjGL4iTJF64XlEqtwAa9L8Z6zWuF-D4oiiYtgfJJ8xSusexhjwMlasVi1K0ciEr2i1WiLr7G8-tOUbMEaPdiYqvuTeC5lRd08TtQyhh-U46UcUhyphenhyphenpE_CJUic-NW3pqX-/s1182/04stormshadow14.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2004 Ninja Strike Stormshadow, Red Ninja Viper, Vypra" border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="1120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwWGCTuvFFoWi_ktG6w0wNxsEqTEYO8fG-qarcLPRplpmJRM1knxOPAnyWoj_pjGL4iTJF64XlEqtwAa9L8Z6zWuF-D4oiiYtgfJJ8xSusexhjwMlasVi1K0ciEr2i1WiLr7G8-tOUbMEaPdiYqvuTeC5lRd08TtQyhh-U46UcUhyphenhyphenpE_CJUic-NW3pqX-/w606-h640/04stormshadow14.jpg" title="2004 Ninja Strike Stormshadow, Red Ninja Viper, Vypra" width="606" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9EC62Fcqm2z3K3XkzzsjQNPVIt9P57h3Jjezuw8D00nzzQsUFf2UXiGaWn5M3CZMPRiny8eH21GCMacKaks2Jq_2Ru_oO1hQ7qB8rCd3d2_egSsx323QwKkd8qTbu6mQhV3lAbUrZLCNkb1fAUasws16GXfeJ84wUfUyMK1H06pwha5ZhdES9muMPdUrv/s1148/04stormshadow05.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2004 Stormshadow, Ninja Strike, 2022, Cobra Commander, Firefly, Urban Assault, Nullifier, Flak Viper, Cobra Rage, 1997" border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1148" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9EC62Fcqm2z3K3XkzzsjQNPVIt9P57h3Jjezuw8D00nzzQsUFf2UXiGaWn5M3CZMPRiny8eH21GCMacKaks2Jq_2Ru_oO1hQ7qB8rCd3d2_egSsx323QwKkd8qTbu6mQhV3lAbUrZLCNkb1fAUasws16GXfeJ84wUfUyMK1H06pwha5ZhdES9muMPdUrv/w640-h598/04stormshadow05.jpg" title="2004 Stormshadow, Ninja Strike, 2022, Cobra Commander, Firefly, Urban Assault, Nullifier, Flak Viper, Cobra Rage, 1997" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3PThg8F6dQZ_p5rARKmaNdXHrYkdJxkJhU0ovLS_JIMT8nc5bM-EqoyJx-5GcYFx_G4bsn5VkP2cQcWINNc8zVEAPy4xRmIRBYSQJB2VAYuk4sHvKolUmZsH9uN4RFIqvIGmnWRKkdT59dnVj2CnFJFdM7qB1vcRBUeXVFmqYjBfEedsK8xxM82pI8cj/s1470/04stormshadow01.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2004 Ninja Strike Stormshadow, Toys R Us Exclusive, Night Force Short Fuse, Roadblock" border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1470" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3PThg8F6dQZ_p5rARKmaNdXHrYkdJxkJhU0ovLS_JIMT8nc5bM-EqoyJx-5GcYFx_G4bsn5VkP2cQcWINNc8zVEAPy4xRmIRBYSQJB2VAYuk4sHvKolUmZsH9uN4RFIqvIGmnWRKkdT59dnVj2CnFJFdM7qB1vcRBUeXVFmqYjBfEedsK8xxM82pI8cj/w640-h522/04stormshadow01.jpg" title="2004 Ninja Strike Stormshadow, Toys R Us Exclusive, Night Force Short Fuse, Roadblock" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-76981002037963615762024-01-12T23:22:00.000-07:002024-01-12T23:22:00.131-07:00Action Force Stalker - Around The Web<p>The Action Force line is fairly large and features some great 5 points of articulation figures as well as some great vehicles. As the line ended and was going to transition to G.I. Joe, Palitoy repainted a large contingent of Hasbro vehicle molds. Among them was a black VAMP repaint. The later releases of this jeep included a repainted Hasbro G.I. Joe figure, too. In this case, the figure was a 1983 Snake Eyes repaint that was named Stalker.</p><p>This leads to all sorts of confusion as it's difficult to refer to the character Stalker but meaning the classic Snake Eyes. So, most collectors simply use the figure as an updated Snake Eyes. And, prior to 1997, it was the only Snake Eyes figure with painted details. That, of course, changed in 1997. And, since then, the V1 Snake Eyes has been repainted many, many times: all with different paint applications. They are better than this Stalker figure. But, Stalker still has the distinction of being the first and also part of the highly popular Action Force line.</p><p>The figure appears from time to time. So, check out all the content I could find regarding the Action Force Stalker.</p><p><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2008/12/action-force-stalker-european-exclusive.html" target="_blank">Action Force Stalker Profile</a></p><p><a href="https://atticagazette.wordpress.com/2020/03/18/action-force-stalker-sas-force/" target="_blank">Action Force Stalker at the Attica Gazette</a></p><p><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2020/01/action-force-panther-jeep-european.html" target="_blank">Action Force Panther Profile</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcaruhfMWYj/" target="_blank">Action Force Stalker by viper_space</a></p><p><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=46154" target="_blank">Action Force Stalker 00zxcvb</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BgEpQFMDZNz/" target="_blank">Action Force Stalker by yo_grenadiers</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClT7uM1p47w/" target="_blank">Action Force Stalker by atticagazette</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu4ITXeuRUZ/?hl=en" target="_blank">Action Force Stalker by v1per_p1lot</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxEVKVCxsh4" target="_blank">Action Force Stalker by Olly Orc</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzRF6KQM7i_/?img_index=2" target="_blank">Action Force Stalker by viper_space</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmj7u7pITim4GdI61ITQdm_c290Wk0QJt2_RPKaKgPfumWzK6yeRR51SSBZAcGtaff2oT8vI1L9QOxsZ_Rywg20eqqFPPvfVNmzsg-GXGPxV7vgdBXkeh1J6arklYJm_PsbhRrKnMB5nTAQshcaG7-oZPZyDkSFyTNtn6jvjI0AB-szhy9yzWtiGC-A/s1011/84afstalker88.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Action Force Stalker, Snake Eyes, Palitoy, 1983, Breaker, Panther Jeep" border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="1011" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmj7u7pITim4GdI61ITQdm_c290Wk0QJt2_RPKaKgPfumWzK6yeRR51SSBZAcGtaff2oT8vI1L9QOxsZ_Rywg20eqqFPPvfVNmzsg-GXGPxV7vgdBXkeh1J6arklYJm_PsbhRrKnMB5nTAQshcaG7-oZPZyDkSFyTNtn6jvjI0AB-szhy9yzWtiGC-A/w640-h538/84afstalker88.JPG" title="Action Force Stalker, Snake Eyes, Palitoy, 1983, Breaker, Panther Jeep" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBZOjBaEegEXsYSC9uXB4kcKfQK4cWpjm3Ra3AucN9psQWFal0hqUfYVXK1m-tVP3L8SGenyqKkPzkwGwKlXPWV7KU3dk4GnC6xrVXtDNaAT0ROrk5tLTDXjpvdYPSHFilsMZ9b3MqSCtOhSIxSzIvZdWnSnkzR9X7AByc727VL_eQFbaKsH8Q8tRNA/s950/84afstalker487.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Action Force Stalker, Snake Eyes, Palitoy, 1983, 1984 Spirit, Panther Jeep" border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="948" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBZOjBaEegEXsYSC9uXB4kcKfQK4cWpjm3Ra3AucN9psQWFal0hqUfYVXK1m-tVP3L8SGenyqKkPzkwGwKlXPWV7KU3dk4GnC6xrVXtDNaAT0ROrk5tLTDXjpvdYPSHFilsMZ9b3MqSCtOhSIxSzIvZdWnSnkzR9X7AByc727VL_eQFbaKsH8Q8tRNA/w638-h640/84afstalker487.JPG" title="Action Force Stalker, Snake Eyes, Palitoy, 1983, 1984 Spirit, Panther Jeep" width="638" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlhCEupdMGI14rXjTq2awQDWmfi4FsxRq6iAKazEK9oPzDCV30LrcpWyG9IzUCNgXwMV1oQOMVIGqovPjyAolv9vFwxPUEj1KbAJ4w-Ng01zqQElabrrJ9MW5IplZ30MbOV6KzqVJa6oaMiahc9jxyLbcPVcSW2vhzATyX-QQKM0e9fS59iZmk0xkiQ/s1263/84actionforcestalker942.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Action Force Stalker, Snake Eyes, Palitoy, 1983, 1984 Mutt, Panther Jeep" border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="1263" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlhCEupdMGI14rXjTq2awQDWmfi4FsxRq6iAKazEK9oPzDCV30LrcpWyG9IzUCNgXwMV1oQOMVIGqovPjyAolv9vFwxPUEj1KbAJ4w-Ng01zqQElabrrJ9MW5IplZ30MbOV6KzqVJa6oaMiahc9jxyLbcPVcSW2vhzATyX-QQKM0e9fS59iZmk0xkiQ/w640-h560/84actionforcestalker942.JPG" title="Action Force Stalker, Snake Eyes, Palitoy, 1983, 1984 Mutt, Panther Jeep" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-48131719886923292412024-01-08T22:44:00.018-07:002024-01-08T22:44:00.127-07:002000 FireflyIn <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1997" target="_blank">1997</a>, Hasbro brought back a collector series of G.I. Joe figures as Toys R Us exclusives. These figures went through several design stages before they were finally brought to retail. Hasbro's intent for the series was to use many of their most popular molds of the most popular characters. One of the original products that was considered included a repaint of the highly loved <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2002/06/1984-firefly.html" target="_blank">1984 Firefly</a> figure. The hand painted designs showed a figure with a grey base but some green highlights. But, by the time the 1997 figures came out, Firefly had long been removed from the assortment. In <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1998" target="_blank">1998</a>, though, the Firefly mold returned. Instead of the forest theme, though, Hasbro repainted him into an excellent winter theme. It is one of the highlights of the repaint era for sure. The Toys R Us sets, though, ended in 1998 as Hasbro geared up for a broader return of Joe to retail. When the first wave of 2000 figures showed up, collectors were finally greeted by a woodland Firefly. The <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/ARAHC" target="_blank">ARAHC</a> release was both much maligned by collectors and also very welcomed. It was an odd juxtaposition. But, it perfectly fits this figure's legacy.<br />
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Upon this Firefly's release, collectors rejoiced at another paint job of a hugely popular character becoming available. At the same time, they maligned some of the design choices that Hasbro made with the figure. All of the 2000 series figures were given "PAINT-WIPES" in an attempt to add the "gritty realism" that Hasbro thought fans of the time really wanted. The result is that many of the figures look like they fell into the tar pits. For Firefly, though, the effect is somewhat lost on the dark green and brown body. There is really only one area where they are apparent: the figure's hands. This Firefly is bare-handed and not wearing gloves. Every other version of Firefly using his mold has gloves. (The Wreckage figure, who is a Joe, though, does also feature bare hands.) It's kind of an off-putting image to see Firefly with bare skin. And, the choice to not glove Firefly's hands is made all the worse by the paint wipes that just make it seem like he's been making mud pies all day. The hands were most criticized aspect of this figure and, even today, can be a contentious point with many collectors adamant that the hands ruin an otherwise excellent figure.<br />
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Really, though, this Firefly isn't all that well done. Hasbro let the marbelized plastic body handle most of Firefly's colors. Aside from that, he only has red explosives and black grenades on his chest. The did give him a black undershirt and boots to provide a little color. But, this figure is a far cry from the Firefly repaints of 2004 and 2005 that fully showcased the mold's details and gave the figure remarkable life with 6 or 7 different colors. Also, it should be noted that the green and brown marbelized plastic on Firefly is not consistent. This means that every single Firefly is really a unique figure. But, some versions have more green plastic while some have more brown. It's possible to find figures that appear to be green with brown accents and others that appear brown with green accents and still more that are right in the middle. This offers modern collectors choices since they can find a Firefly that best fits their aesthetic preferences. But, it can also leave you bewildered at the fact that photos of the figure you find online do not match the figure you have in hand.<br />
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The other major change to Firefly's look is his mask. Hasbro treated collectors a a giant, black Cobra sigil on Firefly's forehead. In red, this would have been too much. But, the black blends with the figure and prevents the logo from being too over the top. The bigger change, though, is that Firefly's eye slit is now broken into two, separate eye holes. (Insert Rick and Morty joke here....) The mask now has a painted barrier between the eyes. For some, this was not a well liked update. Personally, I don't mind it. When the only real exposure collectors had to the Firefly was the 1984 version, this update seemed bigger than it was. Now, it's as much part of the figure as the open mask of the 1984 is. I like the update since it gives some differentiation to this Firefly. But, it's not really a huge enhancement or detriment.<br />
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This Firefly struggles to find a niche. The green and brown base help make him a woodlands version. And, he is a nice match for the 2002 green <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Viper" target="_blank">Vipers</a>. If you want an outdoors Firefly, this is probably the version for you. Over the years, I've found him a good option for outdoor photography. At the same, time, though, I usually end up opting for other figures. They work well enough and have the iconic coloring that seems to attract people's attention. But, the original Firefly is surely better. And, the 2004 Urban Assault release as well as the 2005 Comic Pack versions are, easily, superior figures. This version works in that he's different and having options for a character as important as Firefly is useful. But, if you are economizing a collection, this is an easy version to pass over since there are so many better options for the mold.<br />
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Firefly's gear is iconic. Getting it back in 1998 was a treat. And, getting it in 2000 was even better. The black version of the rifle was something collectors had always wanted. No one knew we'd be sick of the gun in just a few years. So, these early versions of Firefly were a treat. I had quickly lost the cover to Firefly's pack when I was a kid. So, that's a piece that I've always held in high regard. This figure includes a unique coloring of the pack: again using the marbelized green and brown plastic. So, once again, you can find versions that are drastically different in primary colors from each other. Missing, though, was Firefly's walkie talkie. (Sorry, I'm hard pressed to call it a phone since it was released in 1984....) The upside is that a black version of it appeared with other 2000 figures and many others since. But, it was an odd omission. Firefly's original card artwork showed him with a pistol. I've always wondered if the figure was originally going to include two weapons before Hasbro either removed the gun or simply replaced it with the radio.<br />
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Hasbro got all they could from the Firefly mold. After the US release, Hasbro also released Firefly in Europe and Japan. The mold then showed up in India. <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Funskool" target="_blank">Funskool</a> released a Firefly that was nearly identical to the 1984 coloring for a few years in the 1990's. During that time, the mold was colored light blue and yellow and also used in the <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2017/06/rarities-funskool-complan-commandos.html" target="_blank">Complan Commandos line as Rocker</a>. Hasbro got the mold back around 1997 and released Firefly in <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2001/03/1998-firefly.html" target="_blank">1998</a>, 2000, <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2015/09/2002-gift-set-firefly.html" target="_blank">2002</a>, 2003 (<a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2012/07/2003-black-dragon-firefly-convention.html" target="_blank">2 Convention repaints</a> and a repainted Joe named <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2003/02/2003-tiger-force-wreckage.html" target="_blank">Tiger Force Wreckage</a>), <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2018/03/2004-urban-assault-firefly.html" target="_blank">2004</a> and <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2020/10/2005-crimson-firefly.html" target="_blank">2005</a>. And, in 2005, the <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2008/12/2005-comic-pack-firefly.html" target="_blank">body was released again but with a new head</a>. Firefly's chest was going to be used on the "<a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2016/06/rarities-unproduced-tiger-force-steel.html" target="_blank">Tiger Force Steel Brigade</a>" figure, but it was never released. There is also an unproduced green body 2002 Firefly as well as an alternate Urban Assault figure that were widely available to collectors. Hasbro made Firefly in grey, green, red, black, blue, crimson and even a weird orange and green variant. There's something for everyone if you collect Firefly.<br />
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This Firefly had a very odd pricing history. In the fall of 2000, you could buy all of this figure you wanted for $8 at Toys R Us or KB Toys or $5.84 at Wal Mart. I bought half a dozen or more and left many multiples of that number behind. Everyone had the figure and didn't think anything of finding him. That all changed in January of 2001, though. Firefly was discontinued from the Joe case assortments right as the line's popularity took off. Hordes of new collectors came online in early 2001: only to discover they had just missed the first wave of retail Joes. Firefly quickly rose in price. MOC versions of him and Undertow were $30 purchases by the summer. And, by the fall, you could sell MOC sets for $75. (At the same time, a mint and complete with filecard <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Starduster" target="_blank">Starduster</a> was $30 and MOC <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Satan" target="_blank">Satans</a> were $50!) Then, though, Hasbro started releasing the Firefly mold in what seemed like every wave. By 2005, this Firefly had fallen from grace and you could get MOC figures for around $20. From there, the figure went into a freefall, with MOC figures running $10 well into the 2010's.<br />
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Now, left to the open market, this Firefly is pretty cheap. Mint, loose and complete figures run in the $6-$10 range depending on timing and the filecard. Dealers, though, routinely get $16-$20 for the figure, mostly just due to having the figure available at any given time. You can still get carded versions for around $20. And, since you get the excellent Undertow figure in the same pack, it's probably the way to go. The 2000 Firefly certainly isn't the worst release of the mold. But, it's close to the bottom...only because so many subsequent figures were excellently done. For cheap, this guy is a valuable pick up. But, the figure has limitations and the color scheme really doesn't offer anything drastically different enough from better releases to be a must buy.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-HCH5DDDPmIxrEGAFYCvdZgKt2RmUirkWLWyJw0Pn4rw5pphPuoPMNr7lKzn6Y4suq2A6CM_g5qSolyFGJy0U-CkvEYR2MECCUAEosNeq8EWvC4NqnNxeakdDvLsVVgShLDLfxXT_C8t/s1093/00firefly31.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2000 ARAHC Firefly, 2005 Comic Pack Ripper, Dreadnok, 1986 Sears Exclusive Dreadnok Stinger, Dreadnok Ground Assault" border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="1093" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-HCH5DDDPmIxrEGAFYCvdZgKt2RmUirkWLWyJw0Pn4rw5pphPuoPMNr7lKzn6Y4suq2A6CM_g5qSolyFGJy0U-CkvEYR2MECCUAEosNeq8EWvC4NqnNxeakdDvLsVVgShLDLfxXT_C8t/w640-h496/00firefly31.JPG" title="2000 ARAHC Firefly, 2005 Comic Pack Ripper, Dreadnok, 1986 Sears Exclusive Dreadnok Stinger, Dreadnok Ground Assault" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkjKcIPKlG5iO12BN_mbiYztDUWqtYr26sbP_TlN4qkBODw1lNtg5VbeSQwJBVxhnDEbSL23czMng_dV9HDbjSrlDUrPU1R2wOlytmdoOgzHvQrTNF6U54OvfL6ejANmYUmsiWcy2LJfa/s1102/00firefly30.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2000 ARAHC Firefly, 1993 Flak Viper, Star Brigade Rock and Roll, Armor Tech" border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1102" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkjKcIPKlG5iO12BN_mbiYztDUWqtYr26sbP_TlN4qkBODw1lNtg5VbeSQwJBVxhnDEbSL23czMng_dV9HDbjSrlDUrPU1R2wOlytmdoOgzHvQrTNF6U54OvfL6ejANmYUmsiWcy2LJfa/w640-h542/00firefly30.JPG" title="2000 ARAHC Firefly, 1993 Flak Viper, Star Brigade Rock and Roll, Armor Tech" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5P3BK3tmFbIv9Ai9azt2xdbgEGVUEVXUQysyDIfQ5t6YWWhG85HuOdQ2J1vL720Qg8eC23NiGBzJc9vDb-S4Adq9Ij3Z99r5l_BQnF0EsqJfMfSOP6tzyCXftOoHiDin8YlN7C7ZUkSwF/s1600/00firefly09.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2000 Firefly, ARAHC, Mummy Mask, Power Commandos, Lucky Bell, Bootleg" border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="986" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5P3BK3tmFbIv9Ai9azt2xdbgEGVUEVXUQysyDIfQ5t6YWWhG85HuOdQ2J1vL720Qg8eC23NiGBzJc9vDb-S4Adq9Ij3Z99r5l_BQnF0EsqJfMfSOP6tzyCXftOoHiDin8YlN7C7ZUkSwF/s640/00firefly09.JPG" title="2000 Firefly, ARAHC, Mummy Mask, Power Commandos, Lucky Bell, Bootleg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0Ki7jipxkjnwS3b2tD65bSYKy6gqdJtTKeiV6-2r9wNLs2zZPdKUDzJ8ySIuNOVtvR4Rb-ZPdTCS9F0U9yxPuqYfUM2mFnvdReyU9_v48VY1acEEmuaEr_VDHntRp8ntm8CBBgwV-h03/s1600/00firefly03.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2000 Firefly, ARAHC, 2003 Convention Black Dragon Trooper, 2001, Crossfire" border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1014" height="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0Ki7jipxkjnwS3b2tD65bSYKy6gqdJtTKeiV6-2r9wNLs2zZPdKUDzJ8ySIuNOVtvR4Rb-ZPdTCS9F0U9yxPuqYfUM2mFnvdReyU9_v48VY1acEEmuaEr_VDHntRp8ntm8CBBgwV-h03/s640/00firefly03.JPG" title="2000 Firefly, ARAHC, 2003 Convention Black Dragon Trooper, 2001, Crossfire" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJ4vCNNikDHm_8kAfnuHFd6Pd0Qr8y9uUZ7UFXP3WZPqKqwGkfbfz4jG59bofb7ySpdf0dQyex8q2n84AgAb9fui3JxRuNxP3E8BjKOEOldwom8WLj2C55Ydu6gpgD7fSInWvPTaZCWhu/s1600/00firefly100.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2000 Firefly, ARAHC" border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="686" height="626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJ4vCNNikDHm_8kAfnuHFd6Pd0Qr8y9uUZ7UFXP3WZPqKqwGkfbfz4jG59bofb7ySpdf0dQyex8q2n84AgAb9fui3JxRuNxP3E8BjKOEOldwom8WLj2C55Ydu6gpgD7fSInWvPTaZCWhu/s640/00firefly100.JPG" title="2000 Firefly, ARAHC" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wO-SxXc5Lj4JTOcNRX_P1TACsxiTHkIQbrsr9rPY147oj2pji_Q5Ng56KI-6kg4as-5o76Yw6hMQYowqNhGM7ETG54IxT247BrjrsTyZMjw6zetTqQCiFyrIhcQjIT393NwnyqyRrD3e/s1600/00firefly01.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2000 Firefly, ARAHC, 2001 Rip It, Hiss Driver, 1983 Hiss Tank" border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="935" height="592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wO-SxXc5Lj4JTOcNRX_P1TACsxiTHkIQbrsr9rPY147oj2pji_Q5Ng56KI-6kg4as-5o76Yw6hMQYowqNhGM7ETG54IxT247BrjrsTyZMjw6zetTqQCiFyrIhcQjIT393NwnyqyRrD3e/s640/00firefly01.JPG" title="2000 Firefly, ARAHC, 2001 Rip It, Hiss Driver, 1983 Hiss Tank" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-54142010878616310002024-01-05T23:36:00.011-07:002024-01-06T09:54:39.769-07:001984 Vamp Mark II - Around The Web<p>Back in 1984, I had a fleeting glimpse of the new catalog. There were few items that really burned into my mind. But, one of them was the VAMP Mark II. Mostly, I remembered it because I had loved the original VAMP. And, while my VAMP was still in decent shape, the thought of getting a new one was really exciting. Once in hand, though, the VAMP Mark II had some issues. The lack of gun really hindered its adoption in my collection. And, in short order, the VAMP Mark II was actually in worse shape than my older and more battle worn VAMP. </p><p>Today, though, I appreciate both designs. The VAMP is still more used. But, I do enjoy getting the VAMP Mark II out from time to time. It photographs well and does work with a variety of different figures. There's some good content featuring the VAMP Mark II out there. So, be sure to check out the posts below.</p><p><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2017/08/1984-vamp-mark-ii.html" target="_blank">Vamp Mark II Profile</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbBglTju2Kl/" target="_blank">Vamp Mark II by dreadnokdread</a></p><p><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=47379" target="_blank">Vamp Mark II by masterbungle</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CeBpV-vui2V/" target="_blank">VAMP Mark II by fun_time_at_serpentorslair</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfwS4nluejU/?hl=en" target="_blank">VAMP Mark II by gi_joe_for_fun</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfxMihBuJse/?hl=en" target="_blank">VAMP Mark II by sintechness</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChcSAuPLE39/?hl=en" target="_blank">VAMP Mark II by gen_liederkranz</a></p><p><a href="https://gijoe.fandom.com/wiki/V.A.M.P._Mark_II" target="_blank">VAMP Mark II at 3DJoes.com</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CYzKQ02u4Zy/" target="_blank">VAMP Mark II by evilface</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cwf_9EVveOp/" target="_blank">VAMP Mark II by thedustinmccoy</a></p><p><a href="https://gijoe.fandom.com/wiki/V.A.M.P._Mark_II" target="_blank">VAMP Mark II at JoePedia</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0JtuOROEuh/" target="_blank">VAMP Mark II by 3rd_wave_sabotage</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kM6-zdTwjDtQEjSeYm-j2AA5ZQg9BX3HZbLqZNfFHE_y3oBnquQmwNntbqIVgOpNXuB0uAe7WtDTijXOhF1oGEFEKeRt2twdX82JQLAnNUzNKYLm530j_KDmKxYSoQTu4eTvOEDB7iv2b2B-s64cgSmV7n56JjkXgZXkgsuNTduwUCNhvM_3b0bXkA/s1461/84vampmkII40.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1984 VAMP Mark II, Black Major Snake Eyes, 1985 Flint" border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1461" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kM6-zdTwjDtQEjSeYm-j2AA5ZQg9BX3HZbLqZNfFHE_y3oBnquQmwNntbqIVgOpNXuB0uAe7WtDTijXOhF1oGEFEKeRt2twdX82JQLAnNUzNKYLm530j_KDmKxYSoQTu4eTvOEDB7iv2b2B-s64cgSmV7n56JjkXgZXkgsuNTduwUCNhvM_3b0bXkA/w640-h454/84vampmkII40.JPG" title="1984 VAMP Mark II, Black Major Snake Eyes, 1985 Flint" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-90686937194616620682023-12-31T22:01:00.065-07:002023-12-31T22:01:00.134-07:00The Top 10 - 2023<div>2023 was a good year and a slow year. Overall, site traffic was actually way, way up. Pages were viewed over a quarter of a million times. And, there were over 400 comments posted on various profiles and articles. Individually, though, post views were somewhat down. Most profiles sat right around 200-225 page views. But, a few items broke through and got some good engagement. The theme of the year, though, is Super7. They occupy 3 of the top 10 slots. But, that's about all that's really happening in the 3 3/4" Joe world. So, their popularity isn't surprising. (Especially, with the "hate views" that Super7 stuff tends to get.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Aside from that, there's nothing that really stands out other than the 2000 ARAHC Big Ben. I have no idea why he resonated so well with the community. But, he was the most mundane entry in this list. The <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2023/08/2023-steel-brigade-ranger-black-major.html" target="_blank">Black Major Steel Brigade Ranger</a> and the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Badger" target="_blank">1991 Badger</a> were the last two posts to fall just outside the top 10. So, the year was more standard than others we've had, recently. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, onto the list of the site's most popular posts in 2023:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2023/03/1993-street-fighter-ii-blanka.html" target="_blank">#10 - 1993 Street Fighter Blanka (328 Pageviews)</a></div><div><br /></div><div>I haven't looked a ton of the Street Fighter figures from the vintage Joe line. And, among them, Blanka is one of the most visually distinctive. That added up to the 10th most viewed page of the year.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28iH0HKtAeglTtItha4PCRkpCRjk6hrV63h6rYa2oVJop151Y9hTYiBp2iJtTOsCAlF-Mr45BiTFhVb0yInTzcIS8DDQSYzsfHX8uKIBWuRQUWCsCdjcwFMC2pHizExnEf-SO9f6Q6OYTLsugEcs0p2TeIIORbj5WmmeQr3Ma4rm-PfN_LxTq40dFsl-y/s728/93blankaprev.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Street Fighter Blanka, 1994 Viper" border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="551" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28iH0HKtAeglTtItha4PCRkpCRjk6hrV63h6rYa2oVJop151Y9hTYiBp2iJtTOsCAlF-Mr45BiTFhVb0yInTzcIS8DDQSYzsfHX8uKIBWuRQUWCsCdjcwFMC2pHizExnEf-SO9f6Q6OYTLsugEcs0p2TeIIORbj5WmmeQr3Ma4rm-PfN_LxTq40dFsl-y/w242-h320/93blankaprev.JPG" title="1993 Street Fighter Blanka, 1994 Viper" width="242" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2021/09/satan-plastirama-argentina-exclusive.html" target="_blank">#9 - Satan - Plastirama Exclusive (342 Pageviews)</a></div><div><br /></div><div>There was a time when this profile would have lapped the field. But, those days are past and Satan, despite the current high pricing, is a bit passe in the Joe world. This still was popular enough to break the top 10. But, I thought it might have done better.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9k4nFMrsXdMCXJl4Ukm7W_9VKiqzZfSf8eXcSMcHNxCKUQ_aT-lirluCIq0aLwAunn389GwlyPEhDPUf2uQ8apVC6D5U1oo5-ujIivJCyeNxya_zpSxb4Iml9Iwt6BC2z1eSmODc32R0KkK-Y6wT5OgGhSVMFx6xFbYlgPd0U2jNZBHYN97HND9sjG5_8/s1340/86satanmoc.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Satan, Plastirama, Argentina, Stormshadow, Red Ninja" border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="888" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9k4nFMrsXdMCXJl4Ukm7W_9VKiqzZfSf8eXcSMcHNxCKUQ_aT-lirluCIq0aLwAunn389GwlyPEhDPUf2uQ8apVC6D5U1oo5-ujIivJCyeNxya_zpSxb4Iml9Iwt6BC2z1eSmODc32R0KkK-Y6wT5OgGhSVMFx6xFbYlgPd0U2jNZBHYN97HND9sjG5_8/w212-h320/86satanmoc.JPG" title="Satan, Plastirama, Argentina, Stormshadow, Red Ninja" width="212" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2023/07/2023-super7-tiger-force-shipwreck.html" target="_blank">#8 - 2023 Super7 Tiger Force Shipwreck (380 Pageviews)</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Shipwreck is the first of three Super7 appearances in the top 10. This figure is neat due to the Brazilian origins of the design. Super7 figures are what they are. And, in 2024, Joe fans will see what the company can do with o-ring figures. I fully expect them to just be sculpting similar to this figure but with the additional joints. Regardless, I'll take their line as a supplement to my Joe collection and use it to fill out missing holes and such. But, there's just no way I'll buy more than a handful of figures from the first few waves.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD96Pf4yPltLnVRrLAXgVoVGKJj1rlJWansjgGesQFbIj5UaqoPlYLpAZym7bVVTqL0x1Kkw4nZqTqXuOf6ha6g736Y3punCCukU8mCzHK5I5NsQiNbpb60zsH_dQ93u0rPva6s4IOqwC0XOXpphsr0PpVneCb_mwdylShy2HfEE96TfnOFEe3-7Pm5u1u/s1424/23tigerforceshipwreck01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Super7, Tiger Force, Shipwreck, Marujo, 2023" border="0" data-original-height="1424" data-original-width="963" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD96Pf4yPltLnVRrLAXgVoVGKJj1rlJWansjgGesQFbIj5UaqoPlYLpAZym7bVVTqL0x1Kkw4nZqTqXuOf6ha6g736Y3punCCukU8mCzHK5I5NsQiNbpb60zsH_dQ93u0rPva6s4IOqwC0XOXpphsr0PpVneCb_mwdylShy2HfEE96TfnOFEe3-7Pm5u1u/w216-h320/23tigerforceshipwreck01.jpg" title="Super7, Tiger Force, Shipwreck, Marujo, 2023" width="216" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2023/01/2022-super7-ninja-ku.html" target="_blank">#7 - 2022 Super7 Ninja Ku (402 Pageviews)</a></div><div><br /></div><div>The first Super7 figure I looked at clocks in as the 7th most viewed profile of the year. Ninja Ku is well known. But, being a Target exclusive, he was also clearance fodder. And, that's how I got him. We have seen from the Target computer that Duke, Snake Eyes, Ragnar and a blonde Cover Girl are planned for the first wave of o-ring figures from Super7. (I expect there's more, unannounced figures to come, too.) It will be interesting to see how they play at retail in late 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysJGPesAHdpzx4VrLXP6ww6hfJMwGpdBP5MPeQ8intCnr1fJ3e_y41U5rP9PpdUnjz_mWueztmnIzXkTV-qNo0v8l3bTJCc5gXmEdvDBSXLPYdRmZcxAYSzYTjfXFmjNlqpU_E0B2gGqN-LxxELPIz0-r31hgcb5MD3AAYn_8Phd6Jzx1xwAgo0osyH0T/s1072/22ninjaku01.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Super7, Ninja Ku, Ninja Black, Plastirama, Argentina, Target Exclusive, 2022" border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="911" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysJGPesAHdpzx4VrLXP6ww6hfJMwGpdBP5MPeQ8intCnr1fJ3e_y41U5rP9PpdUnjz_mWueztmnIzXkTV-qNo0v8l3bTJCc5gXmEdvDBSXLPYdRmZcxAYSzYTjfXFmjNlqpU_E0B2gGqN-LxxELPIz0-r31hgcb5MD3AAYn_8Phd6Jzx1xwAgo0osyH0T/w272-h320/22ninjaku01.JPG" title="Super7, Ninja Ku, Ninja Black, Plastirama, Argentina, Target Exclusive, 2022" width="272" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2023/03/kickstart-v2-red-laser-army.html" target="_blank">#6 - Kickstart V2 (Red Laser Army) (405 Pageviews)</a></div><div><br /></div><div>I miss Red Laser Army. There was a hoax going around that he was returning. But, he's focused on his Kickstarter o-ring line of ninjas that looks great. Figures like this Kickstart version are a great supplement to a Joe collection. You can use him as a different look for Snake Eyes or as a new character. The blank slate is something we're missing in the line these days. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimY8f-AOL3xDlnmGV-Nu5XN0IHUESm52KxvT6nXfAIOmZ-RQ5wDwSOC0undj0oCPorXxMnMb82yo2T9c7aI4cDPHEduUW78kfoN-Yjcn_gogkhqN67NXzQXBL_hZbXzU3JoQB0XT92-D5_8clE_JAT6BWtNXwOhsikVKs2sVaMLGm_FubNCdoOl3WwFpZP/s1210/18kickstartV2948.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kickstart V2, Red Laser Army, Snake Eyes, Black Major, Factory Custom, Sightline, 2017, Steel Brigade Ranger, 2023" border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="1120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimY8f-AOL3xDlnmGV-Nu5XN0IHUESm52KxvT6nXfAIOmZ-RQ5wDwSOC0undj0oCPorXxMnMb82yo2T9c7aI4cDPHEduUW78kfoN-Yjcn_gogkhqN67NXzQXBL_hZbXzU3JoQB0XT92-D5_8clE_JAT6BWtNXwOhsikVKs2sVaMLGm_FubNCdoOl3WwFpZP/w296-h320/18kickstartV2948.jpg" title="Kickstart V2, Red Laser Army, Snake Eyes, Black Major, Factory Custom, Sightline, 2017, Steel Brigade Ranger, 2023" width="296" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div><div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2023/06/rarities-1993-mega-marines-toy-fare.html" target="_blank">#5 Rarities - Mega Marines Toy Fair Catalog (413 Pageviews)</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Rarities month was a dud this year. But, this Mega Marines Toy Fair Catalog post did break out. It has tons of action and features some pre-production figures among the displayed toys. I don't have much for Rarities Month in 2024. But, it will still go ahead, even if it's just a handful of posts.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5l5QRl8DImVKMVFSRH0T4IKRIt1YT5WEwkFtJgnViJAuTSa8lL3Nzj4rifHYtJnR102lUcpM_47S31ExDvwVg7OALyvMhGsaZ7AH2Q5Zetpknp_kU-sC-0im7GJxX1SZTkkruC3VrslIZEBX91ey4-ds-hyVBP8HHqqtpdYyMuhucgZKuvnXBdaSjFSZd/s269/Pre%20Production%20Mega%20Marines%20Clutch%20-%20Toy%20Fair%20Catalog.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Toy Fair Catalog, Mega Marines" border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5l5QRl8DImVKMVFSRH0T4IKRIt1YT5WEwkFtJgnViJAuTSa8lL3Nzj4rifHYtJnR102lUcpM_47S31ExDvwVg7OALyvMhGsaZ7AH2Q5Zetpknp_kU-sC-0im7GJxX1SZTkkruC3VrslIZEBX91ey4-ds-hyVBP8HHqqtpdYyMuhucgZKuvnXBdaSjFSZd/s16000/Pre%20Production%20Mega%20Marines%20Clutch%20-%20Toy%20Fair%20Catalog.jpg" title="1993 Toy Fair Catalog, Mega Marines" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2023/01/2001-arahc-big-ben.html" target="_blank">#4 - 2000 Big Ben (446 Pageviews)</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Yeah, I have no idea. This Big Ben is the compulsory oddball in every year's top 10. The upside, though, is that this really is a great figure and one of the better repaints not only of that time, but in any era.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjDkD1lBSE-7T9DchDpbaeVm82gXRU5zj66dvv9gM4WXq2_f_tSge-VF9cj9QERJdvpb5inOuQS2K4rmTQGiPHS-0d7sacuyZOkghTHfe7hSUnmVClno3-7J2sfkVlLQQIHTBPD5eduGJ3rTi8_usbPLt1abj1-MgV3jdhUgFFZHuX405F-RwU0xeKm-U/s972/01bigben82.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2000, 2001, Big Ben, ARAHC" border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="937" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjDkD1lBSE-7T9DchDpbaeVm82gXRU5zj66dvv9gM4WXq2_f_tSge-VF9cj9QERJdvpb5inOuQS2K4rmTQGiPHS-0d7sacuyZOkghTHfe7hSUnmVClno3-7J2sfkVlLQQIHTBPD5eduGJ3rTi8_usbPLt1abj1-MgV3jdhUgFFZHuX405F-RwU0xeKm-U/w309-h320/01bigben82.jpg" title="2000, 2001, Big Ben, ARAHC" width="309" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2023/07/2023-soundwave-with-zartan-and-zarana.html" target="_blank">#3 - 2023 Soundwave Announcement (501 Pageviews)</a></div><div><br /></div><div>In my 2022 Top 10, I mention there were rumors of a Soundwave with Zartan and Zarana. Well, it turned out to be true. The reveal of it was the third most viewed page of the year. It was also the only 3 3/4" G.I. Joe that Hasbro released to retail in 2023. For 2024, we have a Hawk/MOBAT that's confirmed and rumors of a Triple T with Sgt. Slaughter and another, unknown Transformer coming with Leatherneck. All three sound like bigger duds than the Thunder Machine. We'll see what we end up getting, especially since the smaller retailers that Hasbro duped into buying the Thunder Machine are currently sitting on really expensive stock that isn't moving and won't be buying any future offerings in this ill-conceived line.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5G2ol21ITKEksdu6Kg16tIA0aW2XSNhkuw0dzPYyJ1_buvVYzjbdGvlECdAWY-LsMJvjCSliwxEvIDDZp-f5z6td2vG2Neb1EbFhzI67ZRYgrSajIoH-89Md-P8GXIcthqObQAAUxYSB1ZLbwqrC53StBRATl7QvGaRKH1uAVOMqhtPl1SwcmUi6bIQ_/s1500/2023%20Soundwave%2001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2023, Soundwave, Thunder Machine, Zartan, Zarana" border="0" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="1500" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5G2ol21ITKEksdu6Kg16tIA0aW2XSNhkuw0dzPYyJ1_buvVYzjbdGvlECdAWY-LsMJvjCSliwxEvIDDZp-f5z6td2vG2Neb1EbFhzI67ZRYgrSajIoH-89Md-P8GXIcthqObQAAUxYSB1ZLbwqrC53StBRATl7QvGaRKH1uAVOMqhtPl1SwcmUi6bIQ_/w320-h296/2023%20Soundwave%2001.jpg" title="2023, Soundwave, Thunder Machine, Zartan, Zarana" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2023/02/2023-pilot-scarlett.html" target="_blank">#2 - 2023 Pilot Scarlett (589 Pageviews)</a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Skystriker figures were the talk of the community upon their release. And, this Scarlett did very well. Now, the figures are both old news and relatively forgotten. The aftermarket crash for the plane and the figures have left many collectors sour. I have another Skystriker profile that will show up in the first few weeks of 2024. So, we'll see how that compares.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrxZ2AdftYI3jYWukcc87SmCBx8yw4dKUEgT9jNlRb-E4PzjJU6MtMxjDq7Nmpl6BzbuiLPFIBvNIRsbFYjSA6czMymVcSKU16yVb_aHGUpELJRpEJqYrdIw5aAv8vZjUMFM_bymAshxOga-r5B4f9scYtId_pJXWNqcvBs2BsR9JdOKjJZPtAP89uNHa/s895/23scarlett94.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2023 Pilot Scarlett, Haslab, Skystriker, 1985 Snake Eyes" border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="790" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrxZ2AdftYI3jYWukcc87SmCBx8yw4dKUEgT9jNlRb-E4PzjJU6MtMxjDq7Nmpl6BzbuiLPFIBvNIRsbFYjSA6czMymVcSKU16yVb_aHGUpELJRpEJqYrdIw5aAv8vZjUMFM_bymAshxOga-r5B4f9scYtId_pJXWNqcvBs2BsR9JdOKjJZPtAP89uNHa/w282-h320/23scarlett94.jpg" title="2023 Pilot Scarlett, Haslab, Skystriker, 1985 Snake Eyes" width="282" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Cobra%20Mothership" target="_blank">#1 - The Cobra Mothership posts:</a></div><div><br /></div><div>I followed the failed Cobra Mothership on a (mostly!) weekly basis. Overall, the posts relating to the Mothership were viewed over 2500 times and it was the most popular subject on the site this year. It's too bad that the ship failed. Cool, big, expensive toys should get made every now and then. And, when you consider that you could have gotten the Mothership for the same price as 2 each of the Megatron/Baroness, Bumblebee/Stalker and Soundwave/Zartan sets, it really puts the failure into perspective. But, Joe fans are cheap. And, we are few. That's not a combo that sets you up for great success. And, the Mothership's demise was just another knot in the string of dead bodies that the Joe line has left behind since the first reboot failed back in 2001.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhzfWt1AcvgU9jxRXUNsh96o1dNJngJwSEPwM2tgrZoe_C5QCzWMqUTlZ7NxFqnyVsfI8Yai9qQLTyqYoXX1ASXyDzLDoSDkDM2GMFOb61BAySFld6fCsUJFa2dtqm9lN6EZMcHtHnoAHMd8QUr0WMTg3W9q-OVtvUWwWppBDhCotdvUzLuCMuCxCHKv4/s1200/Cobra%20Mothership%2002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Super7, Cobra Mothership" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhzfWt1AcvgU9jxRXUNsh96o1dNJngJwSEPwM2tgrZoe_C5QCzWMqUTlZ7NxFqnyVsfI8Yai9qQLTyqYoXX1ASXyDzLDoSDkDM2GMFOb61BAySFld6fCsUJFa2dtqm9lN6EZMcHtHnoAHMd8QUr0WMTg3W9q-OVtvUWwWppBDhCotdvUzLuCMuCxCHKv4/w320-h320/Cobra%20Mothership%2002.jpg" title="Super7, Cobra Mothership" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>So, that wraps up 2023. Really, I ended up doing way more with the site this year than I had anticipated. But, I found some good photo subjects. And, Super7 gave me some nice content in the 4th quarter that disguised my otherwise dearth of updates. I've got some fun stuff ready to go in January and February. But, I'm behind on picture taking. This time of year is rough as everything is just brown and uninteresting. I'll find something, though.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope your year was excellent and wish you a happy 2024. In November, we'll mark the site's 25th Anniversary. At that point, I'll have been doing this for half my life. Perhaps, that's a wasted life. But, hobbies are just that. We'll have lots to discuss in 2024, though, between new products, Black Major and Kickstarters. Some of that will be good, some will be terrible and most will be the forgettable layer in between. But, we'll cover it all. We'll write it down. And, maybe, some day in the future, that info will be a valuable marker of sentiment or fact regarding a release that would otherwise be lost to time. </div><div><br /></div><div>Until then, I wish you all well and sincerely thank you for stopping by to share the Joe hobby with me.</div><div><br /></div>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-82312749676918794552023-12-27T19:34:00.001-07:002023-12-27T19:34:17.044-07:001997 Hawk - Random Photos of the Day<p>This week, we learned there is a General Hawk coming. I'm not excited. The reasons for that is that this new Hawk is not going to be better than the 1986 figure. He's not going to feature at least an attempt at a different look like this 1997 figure. And, he might not even be better than the 2005 Comic Pack figure. Hasbro's re-makes of Joes have gotten steadily worse since they were debuted. And, that's a near certainty to continue since we, as collectors, don't punish bad products. So, Hasbro learns they can give us crap and we'll gratefully gobble it up.</p><p>Which really takes me back to this 1997 General Hawk. The 1997 figures were the 15th Anniversary figures from the beginning of the vintage line. Now, they are 26 years old and all us old, adult collectors recall finding them as adults. And, at the time, we vilified these figures. Sadly, we didn't know how good we had it. The 1997 series is full of fun repaints that have aged quite well. Even figures like Hawk, which didn't deviate too far from the original figure's colors, is still a very nice update to the mold and gives collectors something different to add to their collections. </p><p>The main reason I enjoy this figure is that the colors are subtle. Even in photos, it can be difficult to catch all the various colors that comprise this figure. Lost in the dark jacket are some rich greens, subtle browns and some black. The grey pants help offset the upper body and are a nice diversion from the green camo of the 1986 figure. And, the details that are painted on the figure are convention level quality. To think, we got figures like this for $3 each. This Hawk, a completely repainted A-10 and an excellent Ace figure were sold for 1/4 of the price that two figures and a smaller vehicle cost today. </p><p>While the sunburnt skin isn't my favorite, it's light years ahead of the pale, painted faces of the 2022 and 2023 releases. It also gives some diversity to the skin tones of the Joe team. That and the figure's accessories are the only main complaints. The Battle Gear 1986 helmet works for this figure, though. And, back in 1997, it was both cheap and easy to find 1986 Hawk pistols. So, it was a lot easier to outfit this figure in other accessories than it is today.</p><p>Back in 1997, I wasn't too high on that year's figure releases. And, I passed most of them by to focus on vintage collections and POTFII Star Wars figures. But, in short time, that changed. And, in the ensuing decades, the year has grown on me and I now consider 1997 and 1998 to be among the best Joe years Hasbro ever produced. They are full of great character repaints, main and obscure characters and lots of nice army builders. It's unfortunate that the formula for success was never repeated. I just wish some of the lessons learned from the late 1990's could be applied to the Joe line today. But, that's just a pipe dream at this point.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRr6yjIhT6sBoMA9LrN2fdi3LHAnPSumwp1RxacIuJAc9rkNcCggseNTUbpqennHjoW_7cXOzaWuIvexbvu7TMbvKSZvwUrYorxkWPlXuXcqcpPa_erp9W1yJGpiU6DnsFguPlqj8V_GfUiaYi66NWJfFrcBTX4jrJFh4ToYumwHn3BImftYJ8mD1nQ/s1089/97generalhawk834.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1997 General Hawk, 1987 Tunnel Rat, Toys R Us Exclusive, 2004 VAMP, 1992 Gung Ho, 1986 Roadblock" border="0" data-original-height="1089" data-original-width="904" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRr6yjIhT6sBoMA9LrN2fdi3LHAnPSumwp1RxacIuJAc9rkNcCggseNTUbpqennHjoW_7cXOzaWuIvexbvu7TMbvKSZvwUrYorxkWPlXuXcqcpPa_erp9W1yJGpiU6DnsFguPlqj8V_GfUiaYi66NWJfFrcBTX4jrJFh4ToYumwHn3BImftYJ8mD1nQ/w532-h640/97generalhawk834.JPG" title="1997 General Hawk, 1987 Tunnel Rat, Toys R Us Exclusive, 2004 VAMP, 1992 Gung Ho, 1986 Roadblock" width="532" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifuaR5lCGxZtaAuDkG2G_gR6EYjkKtararoQYuqyRCDZ3Qp11pM7b8WgWDX8B9ShQIqHYoPJUO-sKdFFApFAolpzVCnEIV5rr1Otx5WF3gYCXJ7RVuCegBOrJPDH46zGnnzffkzJ7Tp-_rPEWeW8twgPvpLlza523gm-ijXPgbNAMaxfnzq-hpgjDGtg/s1272/97hawk782.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1997 General Hawk, 1987 Tunnel Rat, Toys R Us Exclusive, 2004 VAMP" border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1272" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifuaR5lCGxZtaAuDkG2G_gR6EYjkKtararoQYuqyRCDZ3Qp11pM7b8WgWDX8B9ShQIqHYoPJUO-sKdFFApFAolpzVCnEIV5rr1Otx5WF3gYCXJ7RVuCegBOrJPDH46zGnnzffkzJ7Tp-_rPEWeW8twgPvpLlza523gm-ijXPgbNAMaxfnzq-hpgjDGtg/w640-h600/97hawk782.JPG" title="1997 General Hawk, 1987 Tunnel Rat, Toys R Us Exclusive, 2004 VAMP" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQxcH4JDhQX0-8bAj6GNGmmGhQMEVDFvQdHAfa4NmZNGx7h8kLKmWziSkb5uBdclQ00q8DtpfUAGjgN1_KOTG1FSLAguiTF4WVgwwI_a4YRf5K7bysECSk4SJZSwZKmEJsI1A_yC2u__fD9H5WgoEO-E64Ab7m--FqFVcYuYt28opbpa0P7jdjjGvjA/s1368/97hawk821.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1997 General Hawk, 1987 Tunnel Rat, Toys R Us Exclusive, 2004 VAMP" border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1368" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQxcH4JDhQX0-8bAj6GNGmmGhQMEVDFvQdHAfa4NmZNGx7h8kLKmWziSkb5uBdclQ00q8DtpfUAGjgN1_KOTG1FSLAguiTF4WVgwwI_a4YRf5K7bysECSk4SJZSwZKmEJsI1A_yC2u__fD9H5WgoEO-E64Ab7m--FqFVcYuYt28opbpa0P7jdjjGvjA/w640-h526/97hawk821.JPG" title="1997 General Hawk, 1987 Tunnel Rat, Toys R Us Exclusive, 2004 VAMP" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-4237896549509733672023-12-22T22:45:00.001-07:002023-12-22T22:45:00.245-07:001993 Flak Viper - Around The Web<p>By the time I was hunting down the final Joes remaining at retail in my area in the mid 1990's, most of the Cobra army builders were gone. Figures like the Headhunter, Alley Viper and, especially, the Flak Viper mocked me from the cardbacks of the Joes I could still find. The bad guys were long gone: sucked up by a combination of the first adult collectors as well as the burgeoning speculator market. So, as the internet became a viable option to acquire old toys, my first focus was finding many of the figures who had I longed for just a few years prior.</p><p>The Flak Viper was among my most wanted acquisitions. Fortunately, at the time, the 1992 version was pretty available and relatively cheap. The 1993 version, though, was a bit harder to find. Even carded versions weren't all that common. In the ensuing years, though, the 1993 became more common. And, today, remains among the easiest to find 1993 army building figures.</p><p>There's lots of good Flak Viper content out there. The figure's stark colors, congruency with the 1992 original and excellent gear all adds up to a figure that is a lot more fun to own than you might otherwise think. While I've managed to build up a small army of these guys, I still want more. And, when the price is right, I still pick up a spare or two to keep building my forces.</p><p><a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2018/03/1993-flak-viper.html" target="_blank">1993 Flak Viper Profile</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGsCyXpgkYa/" target="_blank">1993 Flak Viper by fun time at serpentor's lair</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CHqXZc8AXGh/" target="_blank">1993 Flak Viper by thedustinmccoy</a></p><p><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=35473" target="_blank">1993 Flak Viper by Danish Dude</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io8L5oh5Crc" target="_blank">1993 Flak Viper by HCC788</a></p><p><a href="http://www.halfbattle.com/flakviper.html" target="_blank">Flak Viper at halfthebattle.com</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbYE31BPyb-/" target="_blank">1993 Flak Viper by thedustinmccoy</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CD88vu4gmDC/" target="_blank">1993 Flak Viper by gvilla74</a></p><p><a href="http://www.joedios.com/dioramas/showimage.php?i=58856" target="_blank">1993 Flak Viper by Slipstream80</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCgWvJBgTg4/" target="_blank">1993 Flak Viper by nightforcetunnelrat</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzhrDWay8wu/" target="_blank">1993 Flak Viper by ronnie_trickshot</a></p><p><a href="http://instagram.com/p/CvXaTDtLQFg/" target="_blank">1993 Flak Viper by thedustinmccoy</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0G_f6xgHtG/" target="_blank">1993 Flak Viper by gen_liederkranz</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BrCZbErOubIXseHW0WwK8mVJAU7v_Hx6twOp30LYrpXXdkFaUdG3M071dVG6Za_K9nT4CpdGmlodfkkJiSJa-PE8nDnznSq-5ujGAJhDLIIKkno7pGSjJ4Tc2pKegrqCZC7Vss62SvqAXM26nZ2Ev4sfZq0zMzOuUFLas8xWbm503XQLstgf2rRi_w/s1613/93flakviper801.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Flak Viper, Detonator" border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="1613" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BrCZbErOubIXseHW0WwK8mVJAU7v_Hx6twOp30LYrpXXdkFaUdG3M071dVG6Za_K9nT4CpdGmlodfkkJiSJa-PE8nDnznSq-5ujGAJhDLIIKkno7pGSjJ4Tc2pKegrqCZC7Vss62SvqAXM26nZ2Ev4sfZq0zMzOuUFLas8xWbm503XQLstgf2rRi_w/w640-h480/93flakviper801.JPG" title="1993 Flak Viper, Detonator" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKKUeyHbaMwEUnVmQ1gaeDjk0xsD3J4QvHAzpBlhI7qo9CkfpYvZI8y5MCS_PxlPfb6iMoUi0OZOfN2qWLQkE_rllyikpqelZUQptZY1OxDLErBMTyM6x87xJirRzx2lYBJDiqHCBsBNL/s1562/93flakviper99.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Ninja Force Zartan, 1984 Chameleon, Flak Viper" border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1562" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKKUeyHbaMwEUnVmQ1gaeDjk0xsD3J4QvHAzpBlhI7qo9CkfpYvZI8y5MCS_PxlPfb6iMoUi0OZOfN2qWLQkE_rllyikpqelZUQptZY1OxDLErBMTyM6x87xJirRzx2lYBJDiqHCBsBNL/w640-h406/93flakviper99.JPG" title="1993 Ninja Force Zartan, 1984 Chameleon, Flak Viper" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uCUNKOSEDgbSlfKEY4mgz1baj7hGkDc5DPDViL7l73gdcDXyjN4PJsmjJs44TPLpoejnGrHbbK91lpJqatksRe9TBbf88fYr6GX7aREFlEtKjhtpwn-n76D0TFKpDH0pL-w_Ia9DpqaI/s1390/93flakviper20.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1993 Flak Viper, 1986 Dreadnok Stinger, Sears Exclusive" border="0" data-original-height="1157" data-original-width="1390" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uCUNKOSEDgbSlfKEY4mgz1baj7hGkDc5DPDViL7l73gdcDXyjN4PJsmjJs44TPLpoejnGrHbbK91lpJqatksRe9TBbf88fYr6GX7aREFlEtKjhtpwn-n76D0TFKpDH0pL-w_Ia9DpqaI/w640-h532/93flakviper20.JPG" title="1993 Flak Viper, 1986 Dreadnok Stinger, Sears Exclusive" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /><br /><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1730351558727980814.post-48936534414646875502023-12-18T23:20:00.016-07:002023-12-18T23:20:00.132-07:002022 Blue and Red BAT - Black Major<p>I don't much care for BATs. I didn't like them when I was a kid. And, the idea of robots hasn't really developed any additional appeal to me now that I'm an adult. I like the <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2000/03/1991-bat-battle-android-trooper.html" target="_blank">1991 BAT</a> figure because the colors are great. (The fact that no one has yet painted the <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2022/02/1986-bat.html" target="_blank">1986 BAT</a> mold in 1991 colors seems like a hugely missed opportunity.) But, I've never been overly fond of the 1986 BAT's design. It's not bad, per se. I just don't get the hype. Even as a kid, I thought the figure was wildly overrated by other kids. I just didn't see the appeal.</p><p>One of the upsides of being a rational person is that you can realize that something, while not for you, personally, can be something that most other people like. And, with that knowledge, you can learn to take advantage of opportunities when they arise, even if they aren't something in which you'd normally partake. Such was the case with <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Black%20Major" target="_blank">Black Major</a>'s<a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2022" target="_blank"> 2022</a> BAT releases. He created a new mold and offered the classic <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/1986" target="_blank">1986</a> sculpt in a rainbow of colors. Most were small runs, dispersed among various resellers who marked up the prices to, in some cases, as high as $35 per figure. But, the Black Major himself offered a special deal to those who pre-ordered. They had the choice of 2 BAT colors and could buy up a small army for about $9 per figure. I may not like BATs. But, you don't often get the chance to buy even factory custom figures for that price. So, I jumped at it and added a bunch of blue and red BATs to my collection.</p><p>I've always felt the BAT would lend itself to classic Cobra colors. Black Major did make some Cobra blue BAT's back in the very early 2010's. But, they were relatively hard to find and I never came across a lot of more than 1 figure where the price was right. In the late 2010's, <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Red%20Laser%20Army" target="_blank">Red Laser Army</a> made a couple of blue and red BATs. But, their availability was problematic. One seller even pulled some shady stuff and dragged Red Laser Army's reputation through the ringer due to their terrible offering scheme of some, otherwise, cool BATs. So, there was never really any good options to pick up an army of the robots in the classic Cobra colors. </p><p>Black Major fixed that in 2022. Among the many BAT colors are this red and blue version. There are other versions that are blue, red, orange, purple, green and grey. In 2023, there are glow in the dark figures, some that look like Overkill and even niche homages like Boba Fett and Batman paint jobs. Pretty much every collector desired paint job for BATs is now available. But, for me, the staple for my collection is just the classics. So, I plunked down the money and added a small cadre of these blue and red BATs to my collection.</p><p>Once in hand, these BATs are nice. The blue is the lighter color you often find on blue factory custom figures. It's brighter than classic Cobra blue. But, it does nicely mesh with the multitude of <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Viper" target="_blank">Vipers</a>, <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Alley%20Viper" target="_blank">Alley Vipers</a>, <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Night%20Viper" target="_blank">Night Vipers</a> and <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/Cobra%20Trooper" target="_blank">Cobra Troopers</a> that have been released by factory custom makers in the past few years. They will integrate with classic army builders. But, they do stand out among 1986 Vipers or 1983 Cobra Troopers. On their own, though, they make for a formidable force. And, they are a nice match for some of the 2022 and <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/2023" target="_blank">2023</a> Hasbro Cobra Commander figures.</p><p>Now that I have these figures, though, I still find that my uses for BATs are limited. The idea of battlefield robots always seemed boring to me. You just turn them on and they move forward. Sure, they can mow down people who don't have the explosive firepower to stop them. But, that's fun a couple of times. After that, the human element that is essential to storytelling simply fades away. You lack the decisions that humans make which turn a carefully tuned exercise into chaos. It's in that pandemonium that the actual story occurs. Here, people become heroes and villains in an instant when a random decision they made (often out of fear or panic) turns out to be right or wrong. This can deify incompetent leaders and vilify honorable people who made the right decision for the right reasons but it still went wrong for them. </p><p>This is why I've always found robots like the <a href="http://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/search/label/BAT" target="_blank">BAT</a> to be so mundane. You can't really tell stories about them unless they become sentient. And, in that case, the robot is then a human: at least from the storyteller's perspective. The Battle Droids threatened to suck the soul out of Star Wars. But, the Clone Wars humanized the Clone Troopers and elicited great stories by exploiting the personality and humanity of the Clones. Turns out, they were a lot more interesting than simple robots. Fortunately, vintage Joe story tellers didn't rely on BATs too often. And, in cases where they did, the BATs were a faceless foil to showcase the heroism and bravery of people: not celebrate the mindless automation of poorly conceived robots.</p><p>But, I'm drastically in the minority on that point. Most collectors love the BAT and there's an argument that he's the most popular vintage Cobra army builder. People build massive armies of the figure. Even if it's just to stand them in 2001-esque rows on some dusty metal shelf in their basement. But, that's OK. I like a lot of offbeat and obscure figures. Others love the classics. There's no wrong way to enjoy a hobby that has well over 2000 different figures to chase down when you include international releases and factory customs in the count. </p><p>These BATs have the standard complement of accessories that were included with the 1986 figure. There is the backpack and 4 arm attachments: hand, laser, flamethrower and claw. The hand is red while the remaining accessories are all silver. In addition to this standard fare, though, the figure also includes two additional accessories. The first is a remade 1992 Eel weapon. It doesn't make much sense with the BAT. But, as an avid fan of the <a href="https://forgotten--figures.blogspot.com/2023/01/1993-eel.html" target="_blank">1993 Eel</a>, I have given the extra silver weapons from these BATs to my burgeoning 1993 Eel army. The figure also includes a blue gatling cannon. While the weapon is large, it is exactly the type of thing that robots could carry into battle as the size, weight and sheer force of the weapon would be less of an issue to a non-human. I'm not, usually, a fan of the robot with stupidly big gun trope. But, the gatling is in scale with the BATs. And, the figure's claw can easily grip the weapon to make for fun posing. </p><p>The figure quality on these guys is pretty good. The joints are tight and the paint masks are crisp. The figures have replaced the glued on lenticular with a painted Cobra logo. The lack of sticker does take something away from the figures. But, it's also one less thing that can go wrong. The handle on the silver spear gun is a bit large...likely just a function of it's later introduction date. But, the figure can still hold it. The thumbs are more solid than Hasbro's post-vintage offerings. They are, though, still more pliable and less prone to breakage than vintage thumbs. And, the figure has an added paint detail on the head that is the robotic Cobra logo.</p><p>The blue and red BATs haven't really taken off in the collecting world. So many BAT flavors were produced in a short time that it was difficult for any one coloring to really break out. You do see these blue and red figures show up in Joe photography moreso than other colorings. But, the relative availability of them allowed for some people to stock up and then reduce their army. As such, you can still find these figures in the $15 to $18 range. If you're patient, you can even still find deals on multiples that will drop the price per figure below that range. This is good, though. I'm not sure that $40 aftermarket factory customs are really a good thing for the hobby. And, as our numbers shrink and the desire to army build anything and everything has subsided, figures like this BAT remaining affordable is a decent byproduct that still allows newer collectors to enter the hobby without breaking their entire budget on just a couple of cool figures.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1T70U9_v4MxIF2Yaz74LRDtglwdK6i9qCB4ddSALsT62wwWGGxPp2dvCxjQfH27i8h2Wv3hcSXEV6Xbi71GaP8pZBZ_PfPtM6fZ9-kSoMrA-cv4UIT4rX0Lp9V3AhmeECEVh8OuzV3zMBu39UZO6V8XtWPasKcj8RkRiGUhUBLCusJyi9BbVlonNbw/s1304/22redandbluebat04.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2022 Black Major BAT, Battle Android Trooper, Crimson Guard, 1984 ASP, 1986 Cobra Viper" border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1304" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1T70U9_v4MxIF2Yaz74LRDtglwdK6i9qCB4ddSALsT62wwWGGxPp2dvCxjQfH27i8h2Wv3hcSXEV6Xbi71GaP8pZBZ_PfPtM6fZ9-kSoMrA-cv4UIT4rX0Lp9V3AhmeECEVh8OuzV3zMBu39UZO6V8XtWPasKcj8RkRiGUhUBLCusJyi9BbVlonNbw/w640-h516/22redandbluebat04.JPG" title="2022 Black Major BAT, Battle Android Trooper, Crimson Guard, 1984 ASP, 1986 Cobra Viper" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSQw_iSBLv6DVc-SVki-lBbqRQjKsEbmSw_hcAMbxOeFzdDDXGIOUF3q6i3qQM-yog2RpD-lMVvHyfr_RdRbeWR1G3VGDtMKHXLeKt3beOrFUXwpqjC4hV28bk8ROznKn8Yzn8_d52xIk_6nGXms1vh54ec9cLAFTin5-V5SDAzaIhyaOoGll33Tmkg/s1606/22redandbluebat06.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2022 Black Major BAT, Battle Android Trooper, Crimson Guard, 1984 ASP" border="0" data-original-height="1127" data-original-width="1606" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSQw_iSBLv6DVc-SVki-lBbqRQjKsEbmSw_hcAMbxOeFzdDDXGIOUF3q6i3qQM-yog2RpD-lMVvHyfr_RdRbeWR1G3VGDtMKHXLeKt3beOrFUXwpqjC4hV28bk8ROznKn8Yzn8_d52xIk_6nGXms1vh54ec9cLAFTin5-V5SDAzaIhyaOoGll33Tmkg/w640-h450/22redandbluebat06.JPG" title="2022 Black Major BAT, Battle Android Trooper, Crimson Guard, 1984 ASP" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNg2zhObg-in39HJV7GRdL2cvU4cMrcTjaMFl3SD6WCTPC4MvcW1Oip6_zbI5LMN5v9O3ZmCfBIe2CBTtVzwwWIXfLz2siMUkqkw0rT9Qx4BrMJyzVB7jgUxkSqKMhEFQJyu_l3D_1ZfkPL_vJKtGVkTJRKGZ4VCNovgLTLjho05-EXfEZWjwtp3EdA/s1509/22redandbluebat05.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2022 Black Major BAT, Battle Android Trooper, Crimson Guard" border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="1509" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNg2zhObg-in39HJV7GRdL2cvU4cMrcTjaMFl3SD6WCTPC4MvcW1Oip6_zbI5LMN5v9O3ZmCfBIe2CBTtVzwwWIXfLz2siMUkqkw0rT9Qx4BrMJyzVB7jgUxkSqKMhEFQJyu_l3D_1ZfkPL_vJKtGVkTJRKGZ4VCNovgLTLjho05-EXfEZWjwtp3EdA/w640-h486/22redandbluebat05.JPG" title="2022 Black Major BAT, Battle Android Trooper, Crimson Guard" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qtboT0fX51vif8EnkiOhlQH-8pgLMwQ1hyD_Tr_fOOZgJ92ryeHxbJ0ZQZqTSglBg5lFVQc-qDm1Li8sgNbSOHq84-hR4MERJuyGpQfPP1Xc6bPFZPFLzTdoWsBV9be7VkAGpmNv4T0QY2yR1tB9_pI7gCvPs7XJaXwx66OoreFXYY12EYhmJn5aGA/s1152/22blueandredbat01.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2022 Black Major BAT, Battle Android Trooper" border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1152" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qtboT0fX51vif8EnkiOhlQH-8pgLMwQ1hyD_Tr_fOOZgJ92ryeHxbJ0ZQZqTSglBg5lFVQc-qDm1Li8sgNbSOHq84-hR4MERJuyGpQfPP1Xc6bPFZPFLzTdoWsBV9be7VkAGpmNv4T0QY2yR1tB9_pI7gCvPs7XJaXwx66OoreFXYY12EYhmJn5aGA/w640-h608/22blueandredbat01.JPG" title="2022 Black Major BAT, Battle Android Trooper" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Robot_Sonichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14046347432548886565noreply@blogger.com5